Sports Media Report
Four runner-up finishes more than 30 years ago is as close as Buffalo has come to winning the football championship. But Western New York just might be celebrating its favorite team’s first title on February 8, as Strat-O-Matic (@strat-o-matic), the market leader in sports simulations, today revealed the results of its full simulation of the 2025 season. In the ultimate game, Buffalo (14-3, A.F.C # 1 playoff seed) defeated Tampa Bay (14-3, best record in the league), 27-13, for the franchise’s crowning moment.
Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow led the circuit in touchdowns (39, tied with Geno Smith of Las Vegas) and yards passing (4,855) to earn the league MVP honors in the simulation. Derrick Henry (1,811 yards) of Baltimore and Saquon Barkley (19 touchdowns) of Philadelphia were among the top runners, while Las Vegas’s Brock Bowers paced in receptions (137) and touchdowns (15) from his tight end spot.
In Strat-O-Matic’s simulation, using team rosters as of September 1, Buffalo defeated Indianapolis, 35-25, and Kansas City, 41-21, en route to the title game. Tampa Bay, the N.F.C. top seed, edged Detroit, 44-41, and throttled Los Angeles, 30-10, on its run to the final. Josh Allen passed for 274 yards and a TD in the championship game.
Other A.F.C. playoff teams included No. 2 Denver (12-5, West champion), No. 3 Pittsburgh (10-7, North champion), No. 4 Indianapolis (9-8, South champion), No. 5 Miami (13-4, Wild Card), No. 6 Kansas City (11-6, Wild Card) and No. 7 Las Vegas (10-7, Wild Card). Over in the N.F.C., postseason berths went to No. 2 Los Angeles (13-4, West champion), No. 3 Green Bay (13-4, North champion), No. 4 Washington (9-8, East champion), No. 5 Arizona (12-5, Wild Card), No. 6 Detroit (11-6, Wild Card), and No. 7 Chicago (9-8, Wild Card).
