ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Nearly nine months have passed since Brandon Beane addressed a wary fanbase that was expressing concerns about the Bills’ season prospects after the team traded receiver Stefon Diggs to Houston. Rather than succumb to the prevailing skepticism, Beane aimed to reassure everyone that moving his star receiver was not a step backward but, in fact, a forward-looking strategy.
“This by no means signifies that the Bills are conceding or regressing in their pursuits. Every decision we make is focused on winning,” Beane stated. “Even as early as April, we’re actively working on reshaping this roster to ensure we are poised for success come September.”
Fast forward to today, and the questions surrounding Beane’s decisions seem to have quieted significantly. Although the road ahead includes significant challenges, like facing the Denver Broncos at home in a wild-card playoff game on Sunday, sportsbooks currently place the Bills among the favorites to win the Super Bowl, alongside the Baltimore Ravens, boasting strong odds of plus-600. This positions them behind only the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions, both with stronger odds.
The Bills, reigning champions of the AFC East for five consecutive seasons, have compiled a solid 13-4 record this year. While there are still areas needing improvement—particularly on a defense that ranked 17th in the league for yards allowed but made up for it by generating the third-most takeaways—Buffalo has looked promising on offense. Quarterback Josh Allen has orchestrated a dynamic offense that depends on a more varied array of talent, setting new franchise records for points and touchdowns in a single season.
This newfound offensive depth represents a departure from the previous reliance on the Allen-Diggs connection that characterized their prior four seasons, during which the Bills faced early playoff exits, including three divisional defeats and a loss in the AFC championship game in 2020. The collective strategy appears to align with Beane’s hopes when he made the tough call to trade Diggs, who had consistently posted significant numbers during his tenure in Buffalo.
This season, the Bills have made history as the ninth team in the NFL to have 13 different players catch a touchdown pass, with Mack Hollins leading the team with five touchdown receptions. Khalil Shakir emerged as a key target for Allen, finishing with 76 receptions and 821 receiving yards, while James Cook finally surpassed the 1,000 rushing yards mark in the team’s last game.
While the offense has shone bright, questions persist around the defense’s ability to contain opposing teams adequately to give Allen the opportunity to shine. They succeeded in a thrilling 48-42 victory against Detroit but fell short in a nail-biting 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. A significant setback occurred during Week 4 when they suffered a 35-10 defeat against Baltimore, allowing the Ravens to take an early commanding lead powered by Derrick Henry’s remarkable 199 rushing yards.
The Ravens were the only team this season to finish among the top ten for both offense and defense, showcasing a challenging benchmark for Buffalo. Despite these hurdles and a mixed record against playoff contenders this season, the Bills have excelled in their fifth season of achieving 13 wins, and their third since 2020.
In the end, Beane and the Bills will be measured by their capability to break free from previous playoff disappointments.
What has been going well? The Bills have excelled in pass protection, allowing a league-low of just 14 sacks throughout the season—their best showing since the 2009 Indianapolis Colts allowed only 13. However, they do have concerns. Their red zone defense has been lackluster, ranking 16th overall and allowing opponents to score touchdowns on 57.4% of their drives inside the 20-yard line.
In terms of individual performances, James Cook has improved his game, exceeding 1,000 rushing yards and scoring his 16th rushing touchdown, which ties the franchise’s single-season record set by O.J. Simpson back in 1975. However, not everything has gone smoothly; kicker Tyler Bass has struggled with consistency, missing an extra point—the fifth of the season—during a recent loss to New England.
Injury updates reveal that returner Brandon Codrington suffered a hamstring injury, while linebacker Terrel Bernard (quadriceps) is expected to bounce back after missing a game. Notably, Buffalo has maintained an impressive 11-0 record at home in the regular season since that narrow loss to Denver in November.
Looking ahead, the Bills will seek to maintain their wild-card win streak, boasting an undefeated 4-0 record in this round of the playoffs, all of which have been held at home since their 2019 overtime defeat to Houston. The team previously secured a 10-7 victory over Denver during their 1991 AFC championship game—a hopeful sign as they prepare for their playoff showdown.
