As the NFL season reaches its unofficial halfway point, the Bills have seemingly found their groove and are rolling as a team with a 6-2 record.
If the season were to end today, the undefeated Chiefs would hold onto the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while the Bills are in firm control of the AFC East and would be the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and would play the Denver Broncos in the first round of the playoffs.
There are nine games remaining in the Bills schedule, which includes a bye week after their game against the aforementioned Chiefs in mid-November. Here's what the experts are saying eight weeks through the season, plus where some of the NFL's analysts have the Bills in their latest power rankings going into Week 9.
Eric Williams from FOX Sports listed Josh Allen as his MVP frontrunner heading into Week 9. Here's why Williams is so impressed with Allen's play this season:
"Josh Allen is a dual-threat quarterback who has always shown an ability to make jaw-dropping plays. But this season, it's his ability to limit his mistakes while still leading his team to victories that has him nipping at the heals of Lamar Jackson in the MVP race.
Allen had another standout performance in the Bills' dominant 31-10 victory over the Seahawks last Sunday. He finished with 282 passing yards and two touchdowns and totaled another 25 yards on the ground. Allen did throw an interception, but it was his first of the season. He's third in the league in passer rating (107.6) and tied for fifth in passing touchdowns (14).
Another area of Allen's game that has changed this season is fewer called runs for the QB. According to Next Gen Stats, Allen has averaged just 1.0 designed run per game after having averaged at least 1.8 designed runs per game in every other season of his career. He has carried the ball just seven times for 23 yards on designed runs, scoring a touchdown and three first downs. He's averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per carry on such attempts."
Eric Wood loves the style of Football that Allen is playing right now and believes that he does deserve to be in the MVP conversation, especially after his last two passing performances.
"I think his passing numbers, especially these last two weeks, are going to help bolster that… our man's playing some really good ball right now. Got some new receivers, and everyone said this is going to be a down year, and this is the year that he's playing extremely efficient. And I've loved how Joe Brady, actually had a conversation with Tom Brady about this before the game, about how Joe Brady has given him some different answers, some easier throws, letting them settle in so he doesn't have to take as many risks down the field. And because of that, he's been extremely efficient."- Wood
Dan Orlovsky believes that Josh Allen would be third in the MVP conversation at this point in the season, behind only Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
"He's been in the MVP top two or top three, since the start of the season… Now that we're almost halfway through the season, I think the only two people that you can make a legitimate case of, like really putting ahead of him, are Lamar and Derrick Henry. Josh, there's no question is that top two, top three spot in the MVP race. I would fully expect him to contest, to remain there and consistently be there and if they continue to win. It's going to be hard to not give it to him."- Orlovsky
Dan Orlovsky said on NFL Live that the Bills offense is starting to become dangerous, thanks in part to rookie WR Keon Coleman continuing to develop week-by-week.
"A massive part is their rookie receiver Keon Coleman. I think number one, his feel in zone is really starting to show up. number two, his strength, getting off of coverage down the field and realizing 'I'm open, get my eyes back to the quarterback.' I think his understanding of the contested, tough catches down the red zone have continued to show themselves and when he needs to expect the football from his quarterback. If he continues to take some of these steps, like he has over the past two or three weeks. He, along with Shakir and Kincaid, they become a very dangerous pass, catching group."- Orlovsky
Former NFL QB Rich Gannon said on The Lombardi Line that the Bills look like the best team in the AFC given how well their defense is playing and the play of a unique QB in Josh Allen.
"Their defense, to me, is better than I anticipated… You look at the Bills, they got a four-game lead in that division. They won four games by 21 or more points. So, they're rolling people right now… Josh is unique. There's not a lot of quarterbacks like him in the game. He's very physical, and I think they played to a certain style of football that Sean McDermott coaches and preaches, and I think that is a good thing for the Buffalo Bills."- Gannon
Jeffri Chadiha believes that the race in the AFC East is won given that they are the only team in the division with more than two wins.
"The Bills did their part by going out to Seattle and beating up on the Seahawks by a score of 31-10. It was the type of effort that showcased everything that is going right with the Bills -- from the efficient play of quarterback Josh Allen to a stingy defense that keeps improving with each passing week -- and why they're well on their way to claiming a fifth straight division title… That defeat means Buffalo, at 6-2, is the only team in the AFC East that has more than two wins. It's hard to see the Bills melting down so severely that they allow that cushion to vanish any time soon."- Chadiha
Stephen A. Smith placed the Bills at No. 3 on "Stephen's A List." He believes that Josh Allen is an MVP candidate and the contributions from the rookies and the defense will continue to propel them.
"Josh Allen, an MVP candidate. Josh Allen is that dude. Buffalo, we expected them to nose dive. Didn't have Gabe Davis anymore, didn't have Stefon Diggs anymore. What do they do? Keon Coleman and the rest of the crew, they have rookies out there, and then they pick up Amari Cooper. And the defense is still balling, and the coach is still there, and Josh Allen is still there. They're a top three team right now."- Smith
The Bills rose from No. 6 to No. 3 in this week's Bleacher Report power rankings given their strong performances against the Titans and the Seahawks in back-to-back weeks.
"Buffalo's offense is rolling. In five of the Bills' six wins, they have scored at least 31 points. But the continuing maturation of what they're doing now is becoming apparent.
"Along with the addition of Amari Cooper', Keon Coleman's maturation has given Buffalo legitimate options on the outside. Coleman has 195 receiving yards over the last two games, with at least seven targets in both contests. He's becoming the big, physical option whom the Bills envisioned when they drafted him at the top of April's second round. – Brent Sobleski
The Bills move up three spots in The Athletic's power rankings from No. 7 last week to No. 4 this week.
"Right now, it's great. The Bills lead the league at plus-11. Quarterback Josh Allen, somewhat famous throughout his career for giving the ball away, has thrown only one interception, making him the only quarterback in the league who has more than 200 passing attempts with so few. Buffalo, and particularly Allen, get credit for making these numbers so good, but there's a lot of evidence that luck plays a role in turnovers. If the Bills' luck here changes, it could make a difference against the Chiefs and 49ers of the world."- Josh Kendall
The Bills made the biggest jump in NBC's power rankings, from No. 8 to No. 4. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio wrote:
"They might have the division clinched before it's time to slaughter the turkey," as they are currently 2-0 in the AFC East and the only team in the AFC East with more than two wins.
The Bills jumped from No. 7 to No. 4 in USA Today's power rankings, also adding that they seemingly have the AFC East secured.
"Pretty much feels like you could already give them the "x" for clinching the AFC East (for what would be the fifth straight season). Buffalo is the only team in the league up four in the win column over the rest of its division and next hosts its closer pursuer, the Dolphins, whom the Bills have beaten in 12 of their last 13 visits to Western New York."- Nate Davis
