The Buffalo Bills are riding high after their fourth consecutive win. They sit sixth in the AFC playoff picture and face back-to-back divisional games. Wins in both of those would put them on top of the AFC East. Looking around the NFL landscape, some media outlets are giving them more respect than others in power rankings.
Buffalo is highest over at NFL.com, where they have consistently been ranked higher than the rest of the national sites. Their fourth consecutive win propelled them to 7th, up four spots. They are the third-best AFC team after jumping the Steelers and Raiders.
Perhaps the biggest surprise comes at ESPN, where Buffalo rockets from 16 to 8th, eight whole spots up. The offensive line gets the credit for the recent surge: “The blocking that allowed the Bills to average 211.8 rushing yards per game the past four weeks has also helped the passing game. Tyrod Taylor is averaging an NFL-high 2.92 seconds before passing this season, giving him plenty of time to find a depleted group of receivers.”
The MMQB’s Jenny Vrentas moves Buffalo up to 8 from 11 a week ago saying, “Complementary football going on up in Orchard Park. Offense plays better, and so does the defense.” Green Bay, Philadelphia, and Oakland make way for Buffalo’s move.
The Bills are into the top 10 over at SB Nation, where the moved up from 15. They hold down the fifth-best AFC position after leaping over the Bengals and Raiders. Pro Football Talk wants to know if the Bills are for real, but puts them at 10, as well, jumping the Raiders, Eagles, and Texans.