Buffalo Rumblings
The Bills are, rightly, near the top of every list
The Buffalo Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL. We don’t need power rankings to understand that fact. After a 30-21 victory over the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo has rightly gained a place in the top two of many lists.
However, there are still a few outlets that have the Chiefs ranked above the Bills and, frankly, I understand it. Power rankings are often prone to knee-jerk reactions, and to downgrade the Chiefs too harshly for losing to another great team could be considered a knee-jerk reaction. Last week, some people left the Bills behind the Baltimore Ravens, a team that smoked the Bills 35-10 earlier this year, in spite of Buffalo’s recent win streak. Those people did so because they felt that, regardless of the teams’ overall records, Baltimore is stronger than Buffalo.
After the Ravens took an 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, there aren’t any outlets left that have Baltimore — or Pittsburgh, for that matter — ahead of the Bills. Buffalo either trails only the Detroit Lions or both the Lions and the Chiefs. That’s essentially it this week.
We start with the rankings at ESPN, where the Bills remain at No. 3 overall. Alaina Getzenberg was tasked with revisiting the team’s preseason hot seat, and she writes about head coach Sean McDermott. She notes that the current temperature of McDermott’s seat is “freezing,” which shows just how well the Bills have played this year. She correctly notes that McDermott should be in the conversation for NFL Coach of the Year.
Frank Schwab at Yahoo! Sports has Buffalo ranked No. 3 this week, as well. He writes that the Bills win over the Chiefs, spurred by quarterback Josh Allen’s 26-yard touchdown run on fourth down in the fourth quarter, may have changed the entire trajectory of Buffalo’s season. Schwab gives head coach Sean McDermott credit for going for it rather than being safe and conservative.
Nate Davis at USA Today has Buffalo ranked No. 2 this week, up two spots from their ranking entering play. He notes that the Bills are “getting healthier and hotter,” as they’ve won six straight games while scoring 30 or more points in five of those contests. He rightly writes that the goal for Buffalo is an AFC Championship Game at Highmark Stadium and then “much, much more.”
Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk has Buffalo ranked No. 2, as well. He writes that “we know the Bills can beat the Chiefs in the regular season.” He asks that unanswerable question: “Can they do it in the postseason?” Only time will tell, Mike.
Pete Prisco at CBS Sports has the Bills at No. 2 this week. He spends the whole intro of the rankings discussing the Bills and this Sunday’s win, so it’s worth a read for sure. Prisco writes that Buffalo’s defense, which is often overlooked, should receive more credit.
Vinnie Iyer at Sporting News...
