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Buffalo Bills vs Jacksonville Jaguars: 2026 Wild Card Playoff Preview
The Buffalo Bills head to EverBank Stadium for an AFC Wild Card playoff showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET. CBS broadcasts this game nationally with streaming on Paramount+.
Momentum Heading Into Playoffs
Jacksonville enters the playoffs on fire with eight straight wins. The Jaguars haven't tasted defeat since November 9. They clinched the AFC South title and crushed Tennessee 41-7 in their season finale. Trevor Lawrence tossed three touchdowns in that blowout to cap a dominant stretch.
Buffalo closed strong by winning four of their last five games. The Bills destroyed the Jets 35-8 in Week 18 to lock up the sixth seed. Their only recent stumble came in a tight 13-12 loss to defending champion Philadelphia. Josh Allen's squad looks sharp heading into this road playoff game.
How They Got Here
The Jaguars went 13-4 and grabbed the third seed. Jacksonville posted a stellar 7-2 record at home this year. They captured the AFC South crown for the first time since 2022. The defense surrenders just 19.8 points per game and ranks eighth in the league.
Buffalo finished 12-5 as a Wild Card team with the sixth seed. The Bills won 12 or more games for the second year running. They went 5-3 in road contests during the regular season. Buffalo's defense allows 293.1 total yards per game and sits seventh league-wide.
Quarterback Duel
Josh Allen threw for 3,668 yards with 25 touchdowns this season. The reigning MVP owns tons of playoff experience. Allen creates plays with his legs when protection breaks down. He's one of the most dangerous signal callers left in these playoffs without Mahomes or Burrow around.
Trevor Lawrence completed 341 passes for 4,007 yards and 29 scores. The young quarterback made better decisions this year under offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Lawrence owns limited playoff experience with just one postseason win. He threw four picks in that lone playoff victory against the Chargers.
Offensive Stars
James Cook III ran for 1,621 yards and 12 touchdowns on 309 carries for Buffalo. Khalil Shakir caught 72 passes for 719 yards and four scores to lead the receivers. The Bills averaged 28.3 points per contest.
Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns on 260 attempts for Jacksonville. Parker Washington hauled in 58 catches for 847 yards and five scores. The Jaguars put up 27.9 points per game.
Defensive Leaders
Greg Rousseau racked up seven sacks for Buffalo's pass rush. Cole Bishop led the team with 85 tackles. The Bills give up 21.5 points per game but struggle stopping the run at times.
Josh Hines-Allen posted eight sacks to pace Jacksonville. Foyesade Oluokun dominated with 143 tackles. The Jaguars forced 31 takeaways this year including 22 interceptions. They allow just 85.6 rushing yards per contest.
Recent Form
Jacksonville won every game over their final five contests. The Jaguars beat Tennessee and Indianapolis twice during that run. They also knocked off Denver and the Chargers on the road. The offense scored 41 points three times including their finale.
Buffalo went 4-1 in their last five games. The Bills topped Cleveland, New England, and Cincinnati in high-scoring affairs. They bounced back from the Eagles loss by demolishing New York. The offense averaged over 30 points during that stretch.
Our Predictions
Both teams bring serious heat into this matchup. Jacksonville owns home field and momentum from eight straight victories. The Jaguars defense creates turnovers and gets after quarterbacks.
Josh Allen's playoff savvy gives Buffalo the edge where it matters most. The Bills faced tougher competition lately and look more prepared for this moment. Allen's scrambling ability and knack for big plays creates headaches Jacksonville hasn't dealt with all season.
Buffalo's offensive line wins the battle up front. Allen picks apart Jacksonville's secondary when he gets time in the pocket. The Bills grind out a tough road win and keep their Super Bowl hopes alive. Buffalo takes it 31-27 and moves on to face Denver in the Divisional Round.
What's at Stake
The winner faces the top-seeded Broncos next weekend. The loser heads home for the offseason. Perfect 61-degree weather sets up ideal playoff conditions. This AFC Wild Card battle determines which team keeps their championship dreams going.
| Passing | C/Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Allen [QB] | 28/35 | 273 | 7.8 | 1 | 0 | 1-12 |
| Rushing | Yds | Att | TD | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Allen [QB] | 33 | 11 | 2 | 10 |
| James Cook [RB] | 46 | 15 | 0 | 11 |
| Receiving | Tgts | Rec | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandin Cooks [WR] | 5 | 3 | 58 | 36 | 0 |
| James Cook [RB] | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir [WR] | 12 | 12 | 82 | 18 | 0 |
| Dawson Knox [TE] | 3 | 3 | 30 | 24 | 0 |
| Keon Coleman [WR] | 1 | 1 | 36 | 36 | 0 |
| Dalton Kincaid [TE] | 5 | 3 | 28 | 15 | 1 |
| Tyrell Shavers [WR] | 2 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| Frank Gore Jr. [RB] | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Gabe Davis [WR] | 3 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 0 |
| Fumbles | Fum |
|---|---|
| Ray Davis [RB] | 1 |
| Interceptions | Int | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaq Thompson [LB] | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop [S] | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Tackles | Tckl | Solo | Sck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaq Thompson [LB] | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| Sam Franklin Jr. [S] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dane Jackson [CB] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jordan Poyer [S] | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Tre'Davious White [CB] | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Andre Jones [DE] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| AJ Epenesa [DE] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Greg Rousseau [DE] | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| DaQuan Jones [DT] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Matt Milano [LB] | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Baylon Spector [LB] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford [CB] | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Taron Johnson [CB] | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Joe Andreessen [LB] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop [S] | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Javon Solomon [DE] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dorian Williams [LB] | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Joey Bosa [DE] | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Hancock [CB] | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Deone Walker [DT] | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Kick Returns | No | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Davis [RB] | 4 | 119 | 34 | 0 |
| Punt Returns | No | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|
| Kicking | FG | Lng | XPM | XPA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Prater [PK] | 2/2 | 50 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Punting | No | Yds | TB | in20 | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitch Wishnowsky [P] | 3 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 47 |
| Passing | C/Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Lawrence [QB] | 18/30 | 207 | 6.9 | 3 | 2 | 1-2 |
| Rushing | Yds | Att | TD | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Lawrence [QB] | 31 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| Travis Etienne Jr. [RB] | 67 | 10 | 0 | 26 |
| Parker Washington [WR] | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| LeQuint Allen [RB] | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Bhayshul Tuten [RB] | 51 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
| Receiving | Tgts | Rec | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Etienne Jr. [RB] | 5 | 5 | 49 | 14 | 1 |
| Tim Patrick [WR] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parker Washington [WR] | 12 | 7 | 107 | 34 | 1 |
| Brenton Strange [TE] | 5 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| LeQuint Allen [RB] | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| Brian Thomas Jr. [WR] | 2 | 2 | 21 | 18 | 1 |
| Jakobi Meyers [WR] | 4 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| Fumbles | Fum |
|---|---|
| Devin Lloyd [LB] | 0 |
| Interceptions | Int | Yds | TD |
|---|
| Tackles | Tckl | Solo | Sck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Newsome II [CB] | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Trevor Lawrence [QB] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| DaVon Hamilton [DT] | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Josh Allen [DE] | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Devin Lloyd [LB] | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Foyesade Oluokun [LB] | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Travon Walker [DE] | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Andrew Wingard [S] | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Dennis Gardeck [LB] | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Arik Armstead [DT] | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Eric Murray [S] | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Austin Johnson [DT] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jarrian Jones [CB] | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Antonio Johnson [S] | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| LeQuint Allen [RB] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Branson Combs [LB] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Montaric Brown [CB] | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Matt Dickerson [DE] | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Kick Returns | No | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeQuint Allen [RB] | 1 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| Bhayshul Tuten [RB] | 3 | 50 | 22 | 0 |
| Punt Returns | No | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|
| Kicking | FG | Lng | XPM | XPA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Little [PK] | 1/2 | 43 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Punting | No | Yds | TB | in20 | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan Cooke [P] | 2 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 58 |
