The Bills’ loss to the Patriots in Week 9 barely saw them shift in the various power rankings across the Internet, since the Patriots were expected to win handily.
The Bills were also underdogs on the road against the Seahawks, but this time the prognosticators have begun to adjust their rankings to the reality of the situation.
The SB Nation rankings, which had held the Bills up at 14 last week, has them at 18 this week. The Dolphins, Saints, Giants, and Ravens all jumped over Buffalo this week.
Elliott Harrison at NFL.com also has the Bills at 18, down five spots. He notes the fortunate placement of the bye week, while lamenting the loss of center Eric Wood for the rest of the season to a broken leg. The Dolphins, Chargers, Redskins, Lions, and Giants all moved ahead of the Bills this week.
Jenny Vrentas at The MMQB kept the Bills in the Fine Fifteen this week, holding them steady in the final place in the proper rankings. She also brought up the Wood injury as a killer moving forward. The Giants, Chargers, and Lions all jumped over the Bills, while the Bengals, Eagles, and Texans all fell behind.
Finally, ESPN has the Bills down three spots to 21. They note the team’s futility in shootouts, pointing out that it was their 34th straight loss when allowing at least 24 points (it’s actually 35, but who’s counting?) but they make mention that Buffalo’s potent offense may have a chance to eke out wins against Cincinnati and Jacksonville after the bye. The Bills moved below the Saints while being leapfrogged by the Lions and Ravens.