When the Buffalo Bills were 5-5 fresh off a terrible home loss to the Denver Broncos, they were considered a done deal, a playoff long shot that saw Josh Allen take a ton of criticism for his play and propensity to turn the ball over .
Six games later, the Bills play for the division title this week against the Miami Dolphins and have a chance to become the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Their only loss in their last five games was in overtime against the Eagles, a game they probably should have won.
Buffalo made a change at offensive coordinator after the loss to the Broncos, replacing Ken Dorsey with Joe Brady, a move that paid off big time. Allen has cut down on turnovers and even put himself in the MVP conversation, although that will definitely go to Lamar Jackson.
The other change for the Bills has been the improvement in defense over the last six games. This unit has improved as players return to health, players like cornerback Christian Benford, safety Micah Hyde and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. The improvement of linebackers Terrel Bernard and Tyrel Dodson has also had a big impact on this unit.
Buffalo is at No. 4 in my power rankings this week, a spot most people didn't see six weeks ago. At 10-6, the Bills could still be a playoff team even if they don't beat the Dolphins this week. However, the easiest way is a win-and-in scenario.
The dysfunction following the loss in Denver is far behind this team. The same goes for the stupid talk that Allen was overrated, that coach Sean McDermott might be on his way out, and that the window for this group has closed.
Josh Allen
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It's far from it. In fact, they could be the Baltimore Ravens' biggest challenger in the AFC even if they don't beat Miami this week but still make the playoffs. As they prepare to play Miami, consider this: Allen is 9-2 in the regular season against Miami with 31 touchdown passes against five picks, and he is also 1-0 in the playoffs against the Dolphins . Earlier this year, Allen threw four touchdown passes, ran for one and had a perfect passer rating in a blowout against the Dolphins.
And now the Dolphins' defense comes in battered and ripped apart by Jackson, while their top two pass rushers, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, are out for a year. Chubb was lost for the season due to a torn ACL as his team lost to the Ravens on Sunday.
The Bills appear to be headed for the division title, although it won't be easy to win in Miami. The Bills are now the team most of us expected before the season, which is why the loss in Denver remains a long way off so far.
Biggest movers
Rk | teams | Change | Rcrd |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | — | 13-3-0 | |
They are currently the class of the NFL after defeating Miami just a week after the 49ers' dominance. Lamar Jackson is the MVP. | |||
2 | 1 | 12-4-0 | |
They bounced back from their loss to the Ravens to beat the Commanders and secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They will be hard to beat at home. | |||
3 | 6 | 11-5-0 | |
They needed controversial help late to beat the Lions, but they got it done. Since the Eagles are losing, they must beat Washington to secure the No. 2 seed. | |||
4 | 2 | 10-6-0 | |
Beat Miami this week and win the AFC East. This team will be difficult to beat in the playoffs. | |||
5 | 2 | 11-5-0 | |
Kevin Stefanski is Coach of the Year for leading this team to the playoffs despite so many injuries and Joe Flacco resurrected his career. Great. | |||
6 | 4 | 11-5-0 | |
They were embarrassed in Baltimore, but also suffered some serious injuries. They need to beat the Bills this week to win the AFC East, which won't be easy at home. | |||
7 | 3 | 11-5-0 | |
This was a tough loss for the Cowboys on the road, although the controversy contributed to it. They will be either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NFC. | |||
8th | — | 10-6-0 | |
It wasn't pretty against the Bengals, but the offense showed some life in the second half and won the division. Now they will open the playoffs at home. | |||
9 | 4 | 11-5-0 | |
They are in big trouble because a loss to the Cardinals left them out of control of their destiny to win the NFC East. They have major defensive problems. | |||
10 | — | 9-7-0 | |
They didn't play particularly well in the win against the Giants, but now they're a playoff team. They will be a dangerous wildcard team. | |||
11 | 1 | 9-7-0 | |
If they win against the Titans this week, they win the division. But playing in Nashville hasn't been particularly comfortable for them over the years. | |||
12 | 2 | 9-7-0 | |
CJ Stroud's recovery got them back on track against the Titans. At 9-7, they need to beat the Colts to make the playoffs and could also win the division. | |||
13 | 2 | 9-7-0 | |
With the win over the Seahawks, Mike Tomlin now has 17 consecutive undefeated seasons as coach of the Steelers. He could also get them into the playoffs. | |||
14 | 6 | 8-8-0 | |
Jordan Love played really well in the second half of the season. If they beat the Bears, they are a playoff team. | |||
15 | 4 | 8-8-0 | |
That was a poor performance against the Saints, but if they beat the Panthers this week, they win the division. The offense has to be better. | |||
16 | 6 | 8-8-0 | |
By beating the Bucs on the road, they are still alive in the playoff race. They have to beat the Falcons and hope the Bucs lose to the Panthers. | |||
17 | 1 | 8-8-0 | |
The loss to the Chiefs ends their playoff hopes. Jake Browning's push came to an end, but they held on after losing Joe Burrow for the season. | |||
18 | 1 | 9-7-0 | |
They are 9-7 and can win the AFC South if they beat the Texans and the Jaguars lose to the Titans. The defense has gotten better down the stretch. | |||
19 | 6 | 8-8-0 | |
The home loss to the Steelers significantly dampens their playoff hopes. They need to win this week and get help to get to the postseason. | |||
20 | 4 | 7-9-0 | |
Ultimately, the Bears really turned their season around. Justin Fields needs to be their quarterback going forward and take care of them in 2024. | |||
21 | 3 | 7-9-0 | |
A loss to the Packers means their playoff chances are almost exhausted. They have quarterback issues that make it even more apparent how much they miss Kirk Cousins. | |||
22 | 3 | 7-9-0 | |
With the loss to the Bears, they have to beat the Saints and hope the Panthers beat the Bucs to win the NFC South. If they don't make it, is Arthur Smith finished? | |||
23 | 2 | 8-8-0 | |
Jarrett Stidham is 1-0 as a starter, but that won't matter. They are eliminated, which sets the stage for an interesting offseason. | |||
24 | 1 | 7-9-0 | |
The playoff hopes led by Antonio Pierce ended in loss to the Colts. However, there is no doubt in my mind that he should be their coach in the long term. | |||
25 | 1 | 4-12-0 | |
Jonathan Gannon has done a good job with this team. The win in Philadelphia speaks volumes about his coaching career. | |||
26 | 1 | 6-10-0 | |
They looked like they were already on the beach in Bermuda the way they played against the Browns. Talk about lifeless. | |||
27 | — | 5-11-0 | |
They can play spoilsport this week if they can beat the Jaguars. But this season has been a huge disappointment and changes are coming. | |||
28 | — | 5-11-0 | |
Tyrod Taylor did some good things against the Rams and Brian Daboll's team is still struggling. The good news is that they played close with the Rams and still lost due to draft pick slots. | |||
29 | — | 4-12-0 | |
Will this week's game with the Jets be Bill Belichick's last as Patriots coach? If so, then it is the end of a special era. | |||
30 | — | 5-11-0 | |
So much for the interim coach boost. That took a week. Now it's about finding the right man in the long term. | |||
31 | — | 4-12-0 | |
There will be profound changes after the season. It has gone from bad to really bad in many ways. | |||
32 | — | 2-14-0 | |
This season can't be over quickly enough. When the owner throws drinks at the opposing fans, it's over. | |||