1. Bleacher Report still sees Bills as AFC East's best
Six weeks into the NFL regular season slate, Bleacher Report decided to assess whether the current division leader would still be the top dog in their division at season's end.
Buffalo with a 4-2 mark sits alone atop the AFC East, but does Bleacher Report think they'll remain there after Week 17? Here was their assessment.
The Bills dropped consecutive losses to the two squads that played in the last AFC Championship Game—no shame in going down to the undefeated Tennessee Titans and reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Buffalo has yet to play New England, so the Patriots (2-3) can erase the Bills' 1.5-game lead with wins in head-to-head matchups. Buffalo is looking to win its first AFC East crown since 1995.
Although Josh Allen has struggled in the last two games, his ability to use his legs should pose a threat to New England's 16th-ranked run defense. If the Bills can at least split their season series with the Patriots, they should maintain a lead in the standings.
2. Tremaine Edmunds working to get shoulder right
It's been no secret that Tremaine Edmunds has been playing his way through a shoulder injury the last few weeks. On Thursday he shared some of what he's doing to improve the condition of his shoulder every week.
"It's definitely getting better," Edmunds said. "I'm just taking it day by day following the things that they got for me in the training room. Just continually trying to get better and just focusing on getting better."
When asked if his shoulder is keeping him from playing up to his own standards that he sets for himself, Edmunds said there are no excuses.
"It's just something that I'm just going to have to play around. Regardless of what it is I'm out here so I've got to hold myself to the same standard as if nothing was wrong with my shoulder at all so I don't use it as an excuse and I never will."
Edmunds believes he can strengthen the shoulder to the point where in time it is no longer a problem for him.
3. Confidence as strong as ever within Bills offense
One might think after scoring just 16 and 17 points in each of their past two games after averaging 30 as a team would shake the confidence of the players on Buffalo's offense. Wide receiver Cole Beasley said that is not the case at all.
"Our confidence is still there. The reality is we played two really good football teams. We had plenty of opportunities we just didn't take advantage of them," Beasley said. "We're right there. There's nothing to be ashamed about. We're playing last year's Super Bowl champs and we're right there at the end with a chance. So we have to get right back to work and it's still early in the year and we've still got a lot of new guys who are blending in. We're fine. There's no reason to panic at all. We're as confident as ever as an offense."
When asked about opposing defenses working hard to take the big plays out of Buffalo's passing game, Beasley cautioned that they can never be completely taken away.
"Those big plays are still out there for us to make," he said. "We've just got to make them. We've got to sustain our drives a little bit better so we have more of them. It's about being patient and taking the underneath stuff at times and getting yards after catch."
