Bills hit with pressing wake up call following loss
"Super Bowl favorites" can go from being an exciting rallying cry to a frustrating burden in the NFL really quickly. On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills were reminded of the harsh reality of the NFL. That even if you're a double-digit favorite, you can't take a single week off or you'll be knocked down by anyone. […]
"Super Bowl favorites" can go from being an exciting rallying cry to a frustrating burden in the NFL really quickly.
On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills were reminded of the harsh reality of the NFL. That even if you're a double-digit favorite, you can't take a single week off or you'll be knocked down by anyone.
Following a painful loss to the New York Jets in which not even Josh Allen had a decent game, the Bills are now forced to take a long look in the mirror… and the AFC East standings. Talk about a wake-up call.
- BUF Bills: 6-2 (0-2 division)
- NY Jets: 6-3 (2-1 division)
- MIA Dolphins: 6-3 (2-1 division)
- NE Patriots: 5-4 (1-1 division)
Although the loss isn't enough to stop considering the Bills as the favorites to win the AFC, a quick glance at the division should be enough to realize that not even the division is guaranteed at this point.
Even less so when entering Week 9, the Jets had the easiest remaining schedule per Football Outsiders. The Patriots ranked as the 9th easiest with the Dolphins closely following at 14th.
As for the Bills? Football Outsiders had them all the way down at 22nd.
Of course, Buffalo has the superior team in the division despite an uninspiring outing on Sunday that ended with their quarterback admitting he played like "sh*t."
Sean McDermott's team has to quickly figure out why Allen has made so many mistakes over the last six quarters of football he's played, and why the run defense isn't properly operating, among many other things.
The Bills have every player they need to make things right on their roster. I wouldn't recommend anyone betting against them putting the pieces together and fixing the team. But it's clear now that no amount of preseason hype won't make a long history of shortcomings go away.
Only over-the-top consistency will. And that's just to win the division. As dramatic as it sounds after the second loss of the season, to get the #1 seed in the AFC over the Kansas City Chiefs, it'll have to be near perfection.
The Bills will need it next week as they'll host the 7-1 Minnesota Vikings for Week 10.
Featured image via Chris Pedota / USA TODAY NETWORK
