Buffalo Rumblings
Even though they dropped a spot in a few rankings, Buffalo is still ranked among the league’s elite
The Buffalo Bills are still ranked near the top of the Week 11 NFL power rankings. This makes sense given their 30-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts last weekend, their first road win against the Colts since the 1998 season. While Buffalo wasn’t perfect in the win, they did enough to dominate for much of the game.
Still, a few power rankers saw fit to drop the Bills a spot this week, as they went from third to fourth in a few lists. Most of those lists saw Buffalo drop a spot behind the Baltimore Ravens, who scored a big 35-34 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Baltimore also dismantled Buffalo earlier in the season, winning 35-10 to give the Bills their first loss of the season.
In any case, the Bills positioned themselves well this week with the win, inching ever closer to their fifth-straight AFC East Divisional title. That would be a franchise record, breaking the four-year streaks Buffalo had from 1988 through 1991 and from 1963 through 1966. Any way you slice it, Buffalo deserves the praise they’ve earned this season.
We start over at ESPN, where the Bills are ranked No. 4 this week. That’s one spot below where they were entering play. Alaina Getzenberg was tasked with writing about the Bills’ non-quarterback MVP, and she picked slot cornerback Taron Johnson. It’s hard to argue that given the success Buffalo has had when he’s in the lineup (they haven’t lost a game Johnson has played) and his production. He has 31 tackles, two interceptions, one touchdown, one sack, one forced fumble, and four pass breakups this season in six games.
Frank Schwab at Yahoo! Sports has the Bills ranked No. 3 this week, which is one spot higher than they were last week. He notes that the Bills couldn’t have been thrilled with the Denver Broncos losing to the Kansas City Chiefs on a blocked field goal from inside 30 yards. He calls this week’s Bills-Chiefs matchup a “huge game.” Thanks, Captain Obvious.
Nate Davis has the Bills ranked No. 4 this week, which is exactly where they were entering play. He notes that the Bills are on a roll, having won five straight games to make them 8-2 for the first time in 30 years. He writes that the Bills are “close” to having All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano return, and he also speculates that they may add recently waived Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who played for Buffalo from 2019 through last season. (Dodson was claimed by the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday afternoon.)
Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk has the Bills at No. 3 this week. He writes that whether Buffalo wins or loses against the Chiefs this week, they won’t “slay the dragon” until they defeat Kansas City in a playoff game. I tend to agree.
Vinnie Iyer has Buffalo ranked No. 4 this week, flip-flopping...
