Dolphins’ Dion Dawkins of the Bills displayed his toughness.

The Buffalo Bills finished off an amazing comeback against the Miami Dolphins in the AFC East on Sunday night, winning 21-14 on the road to secure the No. 2 seed in the postseason. In the Wild Card round, though, they might be showing some wounds from battle.

The three-time Pro Bowler reportedly said, “Finger almost fell off, but that’s the beauty of this game,” as reported by ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. “I don’t want to let my guys down; we have guys that care.” Thus, sew it, wrap it, and get my rear end out there. I will continue to do that because it is what they pay me to do.

In the end, Dawkins’ warrior mentality paid off as the Bills successfully navigated a crucial matchup with the Dolphins. Josh Allen dominated his opponent in the air and on the ground in the second half, even though he gave in to his bad habits early in the game. That was made possible in part by the offensive line.

In preparation for Sunday’s playoff game against the newly arrived Pittsburgh Steelers, Dion Dawkins will try to fully recover. Since Mike Tomlin’s team has shown itself capable of overcoming setbacks and injuries throughout the 2023–24 season, toughness will need to be a major theme once more.

But ideally, the injured Bills will be able to get some much-needed rest on Monday before the vital preparatory week starts.

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NFL Power Rankings, Post-Week 18: Bills win AFC East as Eagles, Jaguars collapse

It turned out that the last week of the regular season would have a significant impact. This is the breakdown of our final NFL Power Rankings.

Now that the regular season is over, there will be no Monday Night Football this week as we head into the postseason. But first, following an exciting Week 18, we must present our final NFL power rankings.

The NFL played its best game of the regular season, with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins facing off in the AFC East title game. It did not let me down either. The Bills entered Miami with the intention of winning their fourth consecutive division championship, and they succeeded admirably. However, the Dolphins still have a shot at the postseason after winning weeks

There was not much of a shift at the top of the final NFL power rankings, with most teams having won last week or earlier. Teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens rested most of their starters, so their rankings were unaffected even if they lost. On the other hand, there were teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Philadelphia Eagles that started their starting lineups and still lost.

Let’s now discuss the final NFL power rankings following Week 18.

1. Baltimore Ravens (no change)

The Ravens’ biggest motivation for their Week 18 game against the Steelers was hoping to keep their AFC North rival out of the playoffs. Baltimore held Lamar Jackson out of the game, knowing they already held the top spot in the AFC and wanting to keep him healthy, given last year they were without him. They were still able to keep the game close on Saturday night in a rainy-conditioned game. They’re still the best team in the NFL.

2. San Francisco 49ers (no change)

The 49ers didn’t need a win over their division rival, losing to the Rams for the first time in over five years by one point. Just like the loss didn’t affect the 49ers in the NFC playoff race, it didn’t move them down in the final NFL power rankings either. They’re still the second-best team in the NFL.

3. Dallas Cowboys (no change)

The Cowboys still had a lot to play for on Sunday as they faced the Commanders. With their 35-10 win over Washington, they were able to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC, giving them a for sure home playoff game, which bodes well for them. They are now the NFC East division champions, playing their best football at the end of the season.

4. Detroit Lions (no change)

Even though the Lions had sealed their division and guaranteed a spot in the postseason, Dan Campbell believed there was still much for the team to win. They might have lost rookie tight end Sam LaPorta as a result, as he suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Vikings. With a final record of 12-5, the Lions have their first 12-win campaign since 1991.

5. Buffalo Bills (+4)

The Bills were once believed to be out of the postseason picture, but they have since won six of their last seven games, including a victory over the Dolphins in Miami during the regular season finale, to take the AFC East division. Josh Allen and the Bills prevailed in the end, despite the fact that it wasn’t the most spectacular of games and that turnovers might have cost them. Their achievement of winning their fourth consecutive division championship causes the Bills to take a significant step up.

6. Miami Dolphins (-1)

The Dolphins led the AFC East most of the season and then lost in the very last game of the season to the Bills, their arch-rival. The Dolphins had plenty of opportunities in Sunday night’s game, with the Bills making three turnovers, among other mistakes. They were even given the ball back with over a minute left to tie the game after the Bills couldn’t convert on a 4th-and-short play. But Tua Tagovailoa ended those hopes a few plays later.