The Buffalo Bills have secured their fifth consecutive AFC East title and the New York Jets have been eliminated from the playoffs for the fourteenth consecutive season. On the surface, there seems to be very little left to gain in a late December game between two franchises going in opposite directions.

However, there is a lot at stake in this afternoon’s game. Some of these are individual awards. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has 499 career touchdown passes, putting him on the verge of joining an elite list that only includes Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Brett Favre. Buffalo’s defense has allowed nine touchdown passes in the last three games, so the likelihood of Rodgers joining the .500 club today is pretty high.

For Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the 2024 MVP conversation continues to rage, and there are plenty of speakers who continue to talk in circles about who deserves the honor this year. While some had declared the race “over” after Allen’s 430-yard, 4-touchdown performance against the Detroit Lions, the narrative lately has shifted back to favoritism toward other players. Allen has a chance to make another statement in his favor this week.

Most importantly, the Bills have a chance to secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC today, and they will do just that with a win. While the second seed no longer comes with a bye week – in true “Billsy” fashion, the Bills could be the second seed for the third time since that bye was eliminated, having never been a No. 2 seed in the six-team playoff format – it guarantees the Bills will play at home again if they win in the Wild Card round.

Your first half thread is here, friends. Please ensure that you treat each other politely. For the classic game thread feel, switch these comments to oldest. Channeling the spirit of ESPN Legend Chris Berman, let us here at Buffalo Rumblings be the first to wish you all a Happy New Year. But most importantly, enjoy the game wherever you watch it.

Come on, Bills!