Bills Report Card: Surprises, standouts, and dissapointments after two thirds of the 2025 season
Taking a look at the Buffalo Bills through 12 weeks of the NFL season.
The Buffalo Bills are two-thirds of the way through the season, which is incredibly sad for the Bills Mafia. It feels like there are two seasons: waiting for Bills football and having Bills football here, and the team only has several games remaining before the playoffs start.
It hasn’t been pretty, and there’s a whole bunch of bad, but let’s dive into the superlatives after the second third of the season has concluded and take a look at where the team sits. From MVPs to underperformers, here are our biggest takeaways heading into the final stretch of the season.
Offensive superlatives
MVP: QB Josh Allen
The reigning NFL MVP deserves the honor of the team’s Most Valuable Player through the first 12 weeks of the NFL season. He’s not putting up quite the same numbers as he did last season, especially in the turnover department, but he’s still finding a way to score touchdowns in bunches.
There have been issues with the offense that cannot rest solely on Allen’s shoulders, and while he hasn’t been perfect, if the team didn’t have No. 17, think of how bad off the organization would be. Anytime Allen is on the field, the Bills have a chance to win the football game.
Glue guy: TE Dalton Kincaid
Anytime tight end Dalton Kincaid is on the field, it’s a good day for the offense. The biggest issue is injuries, which are relatively out of his control. The only head-scratching thing with Kincaid is his usage when he is healthy, hovering around 30 percent of the snaps on offense. He’s a true difference-maker in the passing game and has been instrumental for the team’s success.
Biggest surprise: RB James Cook
Running back James Cook was a touchdown machine in 2024, and many thought he would take a step back in 2025. After a massive contract extension, it looks like Buffalo might’ve gotten a steal with the deal they signed Cook to. He’s one of the league’s best backs and keeps finding the end zone time after time.
Through the early stages of the season, one could argue he was more of an MVP than Allen, but he has since cooled off a bit in terms of production. Getting Cook more involved in the run and pass game will go a long way toward continued success.
Biggest disappointment: WR Keon Coleman
Wide receiver Keon Coleman was a healthy scratch for the team’s Week 11 and Week 12 games due to disciplinary reasons. The second-year receiver is the biggest disappointment in 2025, just purely based on where he was projected to be heading into the season.
During training camp and the offseason, the talk was about how Coleman would take that important next step in the offense, with offensive tackle Dion Dawkins even saying the league “better get ready” for Coleman.
While he performed well in Week 1, he’s since left much to be desired. He can’t find a way to get on the field, and when he does, his performance has been lackluster at best.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Week 11 vs. Bucs
The offense was firing on all cylinders against the Bucs in Week 11, giving fans hope for the future of the organization, especially the passing offense. It was another game where Allen put on his Superman cape and reminded the world he can take over at any time.
His six total touchdowns were impressive, surpassing multiple Hall of Fame quarterbacks on his way toward another record-breaking day. Just ignore what happened the next week against the Texans.
Offense overall grade: B-
Defensive superlatives
MVP: S Cole Bishop
Safety Cole Bishop deserves an apology from the Bills Mafia, myself included. In the preseason, there were talks about what the team would do at the safety position, with Bishop looking like he was going to be a bust.
He just couldn’t get healthy for training camp again, missing some important reps. However, he’s blossomed into a star over the past few weeks, starting with an elite performance in the win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Ever since veteran safety Jordan Poyer has been working with Bishop, his game has flourished. Bishop is one of the biggest surprises of the season, along with the defensive MVP if the year were to end today. He has multiple interceptions on the season and is the clear answer in the defensive backfield.
Glue guy: LB Shaq Thompson
With injuries continuing to pile up, linebacker Shaq Thompson has been allowed to shine, and he’s run away with it. With linebackers Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano missing time, Thompson has risen to the occasion and filled that role nicely. Thompson is one of the team’s best offseason additions, which isn’t what any of the fan base would’ve imagined heading into the season.
He’s had his fair share of injuries, but when Thompson is on the field, he’s a difference-maker and helps make the entire unit better. Hats off to his performance this season, excited to see more of him.
Biggest surprise: CB Maxwell Hairston
Rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston has faced an uphill battle on his road to the NFL. Early in camp, he suffered a non-contact knee injury and was out for a chunk of the season. Fans were, rightfully, worried about the time he missed and how it would translate to his abilities on the field.
While he hasn’t been perfect, Hairston’s speed was on full display in his first game with the team, and he has been showing that off ever since. In his second-ever game, and first inside Highmark Stadium, he intercepted Patrick Mahomes and followed it up with an interception in the next week.
The first-round rookie is looking worth all the hype, and doesn’t seem like he missed a beat, despite the severity of his injury. He’s been one of the biggest surprises of the season.
Biggest disappointment: Injuries
The Buffalo Bills have been ravaged by injuries throughout the season, with some top playmakers, specifically on defense, missing some time. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who was a one-man wrecking crew when healthy, is out indefinitely with torn biceps.
Additionally, defensive end Michael Hoecht, who played less than two games and was looking like a superstar, was lost for the season with a torn Achilles.
On a game-to-game basis, the Bills have been down plenty of key starters with various injuries that have derailed what the team has been trying to accomplish. While it’s completely out of the team’s control, the biggest disappointment has undoubtedly been the injuries sustained.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Week 9 vs. Chiefs
The front four were generating pressure all night and made life miserable for Mahomes and the offense. This was the game where it was clear what general manager Brandon Beane’s vision was with the acquisition of defensive end Joey Bosa, paired with the valuable capital spent on bolstering the defensive line.
They were feasting and applying pressure all game, making fans excited about the future, only for injuries to derail everything. The one game taught the Bills that they have what it takes on defense to stop one of the best offenses in the league.
Defense overall grade: B-
2025 draft class superlatives
Overachiever: DT Deone Walker
The fourth-round rookie has shattered expectations heading into the season and has become a staple on the Bills’ defensive front. With Ed Oliver’s absence, along with some other injuries, Walker has had a chance to see some increased reps in his first season and has run away with the opportunity.
Rookie we need to see more from: S Jordan Hancock
Safety Jordan Hancock hasn’t been bad by any stretch of the imagination; we’re just hoping to see more out of him on gamedays. The team is ravaged by injuries, which should allow Hancock more opportunity to shine.
In the preseason and training camp, he was one of the lone bright spots on more than one occasion, which has the fan base eager to see what he’s capable of.
Underachiever: DT T.J. Sanders
This one was tough because of injuries sustained by the defense, and it’s not Sanders’ fault, who was also battling through injury. The biggest issue with Sanders is that he’s not Deone Walker, which is no fault of his.
However, the second-round pick is being drastically outplayed by his counterpart. There’s still plenty of time to right the ship, but for now, the rookie who’s been the biggest underachiever is Sanders.
Draft class overall grade: B
Coaching report card
Grade: C
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich have come under fire throughout the season for the lack of success in the passing game for Brady or the inability to stop the run for Babich. It hasn’t been great at One Bills Drive, with many fans calling for major regime changes after tough losses over the past few weeks.
Regardless of what happens this season, there will be some changes to the coaching staff. They’ve left much to be desired, and in some contests have been outcoached and outmanned, seemingly not getting the team ready to compete in some of the more brutal losses.
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