A strong October doesn't buy an NFL team an easy December. The Bills, Chiefs and several NFC contenders still have games that could complicate their playoff paths, even if their Super Bowl prospects look promising today. A single difficult road trip can change the mood around a season.
There is another layer to consider. Winning enough games to reach the playoffs matters, but so does where a team finishes and who it must face in January. The remaining schedule offers clues about those challenges without settling the championship race.
Buffalo Has Several Tests Left
Buffalo entered the final stretch among the teams drawing serious Super Bowl interest. The Bills' upcoming opponents include Kansas City, Green Bay, Chicago and Denver, with the latter three appearing on consecutive weeks in December. That's a substantial test of consistency, regardless of how the early portion of their season unfolded.
The Chiefs visit Buffalo on Thanksgiving night, a meeting that could matter in a crowded AFC playoff race. Familiar opponents often force teams to work harder for offensive advantages because they understand one another's tendencies. Buffalo can't assume a strong performance in one week will carry over to the next.
December brings a different kind of pressure. The Bills travel to Green Bay, host Chicago and then head to Denver on Christmas Day, meaning preparation and recovery become part of the story. Different weather and field conditions in Green Bay and Denver could also demand adjustments.
Winning those games would strengthen Buffalo's case for favorable playoff seeding. Losing several could force the Bills onto a harder postseason route. Either way, the calendar gives them little opportunity to coast.
Kansas City's December Looks Unforgiving
Kansas City knows how quickly expectations can shift when difficult opponents arrive close together. Its late schedule features Buffalo, the Rams, Cincinnati, New England and San Francisco before two divisional games complete the regular season. Even a proven contender would have to respect that run.
The travel sequence is especially demanding. Kansas City plays at Buffalo on Thanksgiving, then visits the Rams the following Thursday. The games are seven days apart, just like a conventional Sunday-to-Sunday schedule, but consecutive road trips add logistical demands between major tests.
Cincinnati and San Francisco present further challenges in December. Their playing styles and personnel demand different defensive plans, while New England sits between those matchups on the schedule. Injuries could make that sequence tougher still, particularly if the Chiefs need to rotate players at important positions.
Kansas City's championship reputation doesn't erase the practical difficulty of consecutive demanding weeks. A strong finish could offer momentum before January. A stumble might change the team's seeding prospects and the venues it must visit.
The NFC West Is Crowded With Obstacles
San Francisco, Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams all entered late October among the prominent names in Super Bowl futures discussions. That creates an unusual problem within their division. Each contender has to manage its own schedule while dealing with opponents that know it particularly well.
For readers comparing FanDuel odds to win the Super Bowl, the NFC West offers important context. Championship prices concern the entire postseason journey, while the divisional race can affect who hosts playoff games. Those distinctions become more important when close rivals face one another near the finish.
Seattle visits San Francisco in late November, and the Rams travel there in December. Los Angeles also has two meetings with Seattle during the final weeks, including a Christmas matchup and a regular-season finale. The results could reshape division standings and potential playoff paths.
The Rams have another concern: Green Bay and Kansas City appear on their schedule before those late divisional tests. Seattle also has a demanding finish while San Francisco can't afford to underestimate either rival. The importance of these rivalries is explored further in NFL Division Battles That Could Define the 2026 Season, which examines how divisional matchups can shape playoff positioning.
A division title may bring a home playoff game, although seeding determines the precise advantage. A wild-card berth can mean traveling instead. That makes these head-to-head meetings worth watching even without a dramatic change in futures prices.
Chicago Has a Tough Closing Stretch
Chicago's rise in championship conversations has made its remaining schedule especially interesting. The Bears still have games against Detroit, Buffalo and Green Bay, with divisional outcomes potentially affecting their route through the NFC. Familiar opponents can make for uncomfortable afternoons, particularly when both sides have plenty at stake.
Thanksgiving sends Chicago to Detroit, with several challenging games still to follow. Readers exploring the latest NFL game matchups at FanDuel can find game previews and analysis covering upcoming NFL contests. Those insights offer additional context as the Bears prepare for Buffalo and further NFC North competition later in the season.
Green Bay also faces a challenging finish, including games with the Rams and Bills. The Packers' results could influence Chicago's division standing as much as their own playoff case. That tension raises the stakes of every late head-to-head matchup.
The Bears won't be judged solely by individual wins or losses. How they respond to setbacks and manage injuries will shape their readiness for January. A demanding finish could expose weaknesses, but it might also prepare them for playoff-level competition.
A Difficult Schedule Isn't the Whole Story
When reviewing a schedule, there are some variables that need to be taken into account. Evaluating an opponent's record from last season is undoubtedly important, but how they are handling their current matchups is even more so. A deep dive into team strength, star player performance, and how many road games are in the pipeline can be informative. An opponent that’s gaining momentum in October may look very different in December due to injuries and other disruptive factors.
Then there are playoff seedings. Most often, if you win your division, you’ll be better positioned in the playoffs rather than entering as a Wild Card. However, the performance of teams in the rest of the division must be taken into account. It’s always worth noting that a contender with difficult opponents today might still earn a good seed by beating them.
Super Bowl futures prices also change as new information arrives. They shouldn't be treated as a fixed ranking of remaining schedule difficulty. A fair comparison considers team strength and the road ahead separately.
The Toughest Tests Are Still Ahead
Buffalo and Kansas City face demanding AFC tests, while the NFC West contenders must settle crucial games against one another. Chicago has a difficult divisional finish of its own. The remaining weeks could change more than the standings.
Every single team with an eye on the Vince Lombardi Trophy longs for a smooth path. However, there’s no team that can take that for granted. Things change. Injuries sideline key players, bad weather disrupts strategies and close finishes shape the path. Being a favorite now is no guarantee that the same will apply in January.
*Content reflects information available as of 2026/11/05; subject to change.
