The Buffalo Bills are headed to Foxborough, MA for a rematch with the New England Patriots.
The one where Josh Allen broke more records while doing Josh Allen things.
It’s time once again for us to walk the aggregate path that is the Buffalo Rumblings’ NFL power rankings roundup. In getting this to you far later than preferred, I’ll dispense with a ton of the free jazz build-up and get down to business. I do love a good build in so much as it helps to more meaningfully engage you, our readers, with one another. But… time’s a wastin’!
It’s fair to say that Week 15 is going to be huge in terms of postgame narratives. Will those center around a Buffalo Bills team that proved again that winning in December is on the menu, and that January football is a given with Josh Allen at quarterback? Or will it instead be how the New England Patriots have usurped their AFC East foes, now set to put the AFC and eventually an NFC opponent on notice? We’ll have to wait and see what Sunday reveals, if any of that or otherwise.
For now, it’s clear that most NFL power rankings prognosticators see Buffalo as a team ascending at the right time, even if it took some miraculous plays to claim victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. In fairness, the Bills have played the Bengals and Baltimore Ravens when both were at near-peak health, so current records only hold so much weight.
Let’s get to it here, but note that we have nothing to share from Pro Football Network (PFN) or NFL Spin Zone this week. It’s uncertain what happened with PFN, and the latter of the two provided content. Yet, for NFL Spin Zone it’s a constantly swinging goal post where some weeks they rank conferences, others each division, and still other among those with identical records. It’s just a bit much, and lacks consistency that sports fans crave in digesting numbers and rankings.
After you take a few minutes reading what others have to say about the Bills and whey they were placed anywhere from between three and 10, sound off in the comments!
One last thing before we get to the latest rankings: As we like to do here, it’s best we catch up with the latest ESPN playoff odds for the Bills in four key metrics. Why ESPN? I like the chart, and unlike some other outlets it’s material that isn’t hidden behind a paywall. I really enjoy what The Athletic provides, but for many it’s inaccessible. I mean, I really do like their 2025 NFL Playoff Simulator. Here’s a capture of the Bills’ latest figures within it:
It lists the Bills with the sixth-best playoff odds in the path to the NFL playoffs. There’s also the graph below, which you may have seen elsewhere. It’s a great visual feast. I’m not here to sway your decision to pay The New York Times / The Athletic for access to this content — rather, hoping to share something with readers who otherwise might not see it. There’s far more than what I’ve shared here, of course.
Onward with the ESPN content… Continuing a trend from last week there are more positives developments. Buffalo actually moved down the latter to the four spot, where previously they were at three.
Entering Week 15, the Bills’ odds of making the playoffs now sit at 97% (was 90%); their odds of winning the division improved to 18% (was 15%). As for earning a playoff bye, Buffalo’s dipped to 4% (was 5%), while their odds of making it to the Super Bowl improved to 16% (was 13%). (ESPN’s latest and full AFC playoff odds chart)
Now, let’s live in the present and dive into the latest NFL power rankings, passing the mic to hierarchy experts around the country. Ready? (Week 14 Power Rankings for comparison)
ESPN: 6 (up from 9 in Week 14)
“Most shocking statistical ranking: Defensive end Joey Bosa is first in forced fumbles”
“Much of what the Bills are doing statistically is to be expected, including offensive numbers that are down from last season’s difficult-to-replicate lack of turnovers or sacks. But there was some uncertainty as to what Bosa would be at this point in his career. The one-year signing has aged well overall, and the highs have included his five forced fumbles. Bosa’s most recent turnover came versus the Steelers in Week 13, leading to a Christian Benford touchdown. This is already his second-most forced fumbles in a single season (seven in 2021).” — Alaina Getzenberg
NFL.com: 6 (up from 9 in Week 14)
“Down 10 points late, with the snow really piling up, Josh Allen and an opportunistic Bills defense dominated the final eight minutes with an incredible flourish against the scrappy Bengals, keeping Buffalo’s faint divisional hopes alive. The Bills will need to beat the well-rested Patriots on Sunday in Foxborough — and do more than that — to even harbor those thoughts, but it’s possible. Yet, I think this team remains dangerous as a wild card, if that’s the way it goes. With the Bengals, Ravens and Chiefs all falling off, and even the upstart Colts falling on hard times, you simply cannot count out an Allen-led group in the playoffs. I’m not ignoring Buffalo’s defensive limitations, nor am I looking away from James Cook’s rising fumble total. But with Allen, the Bills nearly always have a chance.” — Eric Edholm
Pro Football Focus: 4 (no change from Week 14)
“Chance of making playoffs: 98%”
“Chance of winning Super Bowl: 9%”“The Bills rallied from a 28-18 deficit midway through the fourth quarter to score 21 points and defeat the Cincinnati Bengals, thanks to a superhuman Josh Allen (85.8 grade; 5th) performance in Week 14. Allen completed 22-of-28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, adding nine carries for 78 yards and a touchdown — which resulted in a 90.4 overall PFF grade.
Buffalo needed its offense to spring to life in the fourth quarter — the defense struggled to contain the Bengals in the western New York snow, allowing six yards per play. However, corner Christian Benford (66.2 grade; 40th) scored a pick-six as the Bills picked off Joe Burrow on back-to-back plays. The Bills weren’t at their best, but they made the big plays at the right times.” — Thomas Valentine
The Athletic: 6 (up from 7 in Week 14)
“Worst-case scenario: Moving out of this stadium”
“This is the Bills’ last season in Highmark Stadium. The new stadium will be palatial, but it’s never going to feel like Buffalo’s beautiful bandbox of a building. On Sunday, Bills quarterback Josh Allen became the first player in NFL history with at least one rushing touchdown and one passing touchdown in 50 games. He had 235 total yards and three touchdowns in the second half of a snow game straight out of a Disney movie.” — Chad Graff/Josh Kendall
CBS Sports: 10 (up from 12 in Week 14)
“Josh Allen carried them past the Bengals in the snow, showing exactly how this team needs to play to win. It’s his time. Let him loose.” — Pete Prisco
USA Today: 7 (no change from Week 14)
“They’re holding steady at No. 7 − and QB Josh Allen, who might be the league’s best quarterback at this point and perhaps the most dangerous and experienced one on the AFC side of the playoff bracket, is looking like a man who could finally be on a fruitful Super Bowl mission.” — Nate Davis
Bleacher Report: 6 (up from 7 in Week 14)
“Despite questions about their pass-catching group, the Buffalo Bills are built to win scoring shootouts, and Josh Allen shines in big moments.
The Bills needed the MVP version of their star quarterback, and that’s who they saw throw for three touchdowns and rush for 78 yards and a score on nine carries in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Buffalo’s defense has allowed 30 or more points in three of the team’s previous five outings, which raises concerns for this club down the stretch, but Allen is the ultimate equalizer with his arm and legs.” — Maurice Moton
Sportsnaut: 7 (up from 9 in Week 14)
“Trailing by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter on Sunday, the Buffalo Bills were in real danger of dropping to 8-5 and that would mean having to fight for one of the last wild card spots. Josh Allen and Buffalo’s defense responded to that with some of their biggest plays of the season, including a pick-six and a career-long rushing touchdown by Allen. Now, Buffalo is in firm control of its playoff destiny and a win next week versus New England would re-open the door to a division title.” — Matt Johnson
The Sporting News: 6 (up from 7 in Week 14)
“The Bills needed Josh Allen to go nuts late to save the day against the Bengals, but it wouldn’t have been possible without their defense digging deeper to make big plays. Buffalo keeps looking more like the true AFC team to beat, but a New England rematch this week will provide proof for or against that thinking.” — Vinnie Iyer
Yahoo! Sports: 8 (no change from Week 14)
“We’re looking at the very real possibility of the AFC playoffs beginning without Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. Can Josh Allen and the Bills take advantage of that? They were on upset watch again for most of Sunday against the Bengals. Allen, who is up to 34 total touchdowns (22 passing, 12 rushing) this season, gives them a chance against anyone. It’s just hard to depend on everything else around him.” — Frank Schwab
New York Post: 7 (no change from Week 14)
“Christian Benford and A.J. Epenesa intercepted back-to-back fourth-quarter passes by Joe Burrow to spark a 10-point fourth-quarter comeback in a 39-34 win against the desperate Bengals. Benford returned his interception for the go-ahead 63-yard pick-six. Josh Allen threw for three touchdowns – including the knockout punch on fourth down to Jackson Hawes – and ran for another.” — Ryan Dunleavy
theScore: 9 (up from 11 in Week 14)
“Buffalo has been completely helpless when it comes to stopping the run, ranking 31st with -0.07 EPA/rush. That makes this the worst Bills rush defense since 2005. The good news? There may not be too many AFC playoff teams capable of exploiting their fatal flaw.” — Dan Wilkins
Sports Illustrated: 3 (up from 4 in Week 14)
“My takeaway from Sunday’s game is that, so long as the Bills have Josh Allen, the team can never play in a closed-roof stadium in Buffalo in the winter. Against a pocket passer—even one as good as Burrow—he is like riding a tank into a demolition derby.” — Conor Orr
FOX Sports: 10 (up from 11 in Week 13)
“The Bengals had the Bills on the brink in snowy Buffalo before QB Josh Allen and the Bills’ defense started finally looking like contenders. Did Cincinnati jostle a sleeping giant?” — Ralph Vacchiano
Tom Brady with FOX Sports: 6 (up from 7 in Week 14)
Pressbox: 6 (up from 8 in Week 14)
Look, Glenn Clark takes an offbeat approach to this exercise. If you’re looking for quick-hitting deep analysis, you’ll probably have to find someone from another generation. At least this week he shouts out Christian Benford’s Maryland hometown. Onward, we trudge…
“Congratulations to Randallstown’s own … — Glenn Clark”
“The Rich Eisen Show”: 6 (unranked in Week 14)
Computer Cowboy (Ben Baldwin): 5 (up from 6 in Week 14)
That’s it for another week of the always scientifically correct and never indisputable world of NFL power rankings. What’s your take on the latest Bills rankings?
Category: General Sports
