I did it out, this game is completely meaningless from the Pats perspective (but big for Buffalo).
Pats beat the Bills next week? Worst the Pats finish is 12-4, best the Bills finish is 12-4, Pats win on head to head.
Bills beat the Patriots next week? If both teams win week 17 (Pats over Miami, Bills over Jete):
- Pats are 12-4, Bills are 11-5 if they lose tonight. Pats win division.
- Bills are 12-4 if they win tonight. They split head to head and division record (5-1), Pats win on common opponents (Eagles and Browns had different outcomes for both teams).
Bills beat the Patriots next week? If both teams lose week 17 (Pats Vs Miami, Bills Vs Jete.... see above, except add 1 loss to each team in the analysis, but end result is the same.
Bills beat the Patriots next week? If Pats best Fins and Bills lose to Jete in week 17, Pats finish 12-4 and the best the Bills finish is 11-5 if they win tonight (10-6 if they lose). Pats win division.
Bills beat the Patriots next week? If Pats lose to Fins and Bills beat Jete:
- Pats finish 11-5. If Bills win tonight they finish 12-4, Bills win division.
- if Bills lose tonight, both teams finish 11-5 and split head to head. But Bills win division because they went 5-1 in division while Pats went 4-2.
So tonight’s outcome is completely meaningless for Pats’ division title purposes.