The drawback the 2022 Buffalo Bills have confronted all season is {that a} good season will probably be considered as a failure.
In a rational world, a 13-3 season with an AFC East championship and at the least one playoff win is a motive to have a good time. Only one staff can win a Super Bowl.
But this was the staff that would lastly get Buffalo that Super Bowl. The Bills have been preseason Super Bowl favorites, and saved that place or near all of it season.
The Bills are able to following by way of on that preseason hype, however they have not hit that high gear shortly. If it wasn’t for his or her “Super Bowl or bust” expectations, that may not appear so dangerous.
They struggled to place away the Miami Dolphins and their rookie third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson in a 34-31 wild-card weekend win. Before that, all of us liked the moments Nyheim Hines gave us on two kickoff return touchdowns in Week 18, however the Bills additionally wanted these two special-teams touchdowns to beat a mediocre New England Patriots staff at dwelling. Buffalo gained 35-23, rallying after falling behind within the third quarter.
If you have a look at the Bills’ outcomes, it has been some time since they demolished a staff. A 35-13 win over the Chicago Bears most likely counts, however the Bears had the worst file in soccer and nonetheless led Buffalo at halftime. The Bills have had just one different win by greater than eight factors for the reason that begin of November. Their offense is not deep past Stefon Diggs and Josh Allen, and Allen is popping it over too typically. There have been instances the protection appears to be like prefer it misses Von Miller, who’s out for the season with a torn ACL.
None of that’s honest. The Bills are successful video games and nonetheless seem like the most effective groups within the NFL. Everything else is nitpicking. But ending No. 2 this season would not really feel like a satisfying ending for the Bills. Buffalo followers have skilled that 4 instances earlier than.
The Bills look good however not like an awesome favourite. They have a shot on the Super Bowl, however so do a handful of different groups as we head to the divisional spherical. They look susceptible. They might find yourself with a particular season, however they do not seem like a particular staff in the intervening time.
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Josh Allen and the Bills aren’t enjoying for second place, however too typically it is seemed like they’re going to find yourself wanting successful the Super Bowl. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
Here are the ability rankings for the eight groups nonetheless alive within the playoffs, specializing in the place they stand proper now and the probability of them successful the Super Bowl:
The Giants deserve respect for a very good season and the long run is trying good too because it appears fairly clear the staff made a incredible rent with Brian Daboll. Daniel Jones has grow to be a viable quarterback choice going ahead, assuming the Giants can re-sign him, and getting a playoff win is nice. Sunday’s Giants win was their first postseason win since Eli Manning beat Tom Brady in a Super Bowl for the second time. Now, all that stated, there is not any motive to rank the Giants larger than this. An upset of the Eagles could be an absolute stunner.
The Jaguars had a comeback for the ages, and we’ll keep in mind it endlessly. We additionally ought to acknowledge they have been down 27-0 at dwelling in a wild-card recreation. This is an effective Jaguars staff that has gained six in a row, they usually might need extra upset potential than anybody is giving them credit score for if Trevor Lawrence performs his greatest recreation (and avoids 4 first-half interceptions). But it feels just like the Jaguars are a 12 months away. The protection most likely is not going to have a enjoyable day towards the Chiefs.
The Cowboys are at No. 6 however make no mistake: They have all of the components to win a Super Bowl. I can not discuss myself into the Giants or Jaguars successful all of it, however everybody else can. That consists of Dallas, who seemed nice towards the Buccaneers. It has been missed that this staff gained 12 video games within the common season and has as a lot stability as any staff left.
The Bengals went by way of their first 15 video games and not using a beginning offensive lineman lacking a recreation resulting from harm. Then three of Cincinnati’s 5 linemen went down with harm, and all three could possibly be out Sunday at Buffalo. It takes a variety of luck to make a run to the Super Bowl. The Bengals had greater than their share final season. Perhaps they might overcome these accidents and make it again to a Super Bowl. They have been enjoying at that stage late within the season. But it is a greater problem now, particularly with a highway by way of the AFC that may begin at Buffalo and doubtless leads by way of Kansas City after that.
Linebacker Matt Milano is having the season of his life. He was named first-team All Pro. In the wild-card spherical he was actually good, with 10 tackles and two sacks. Milano was a very good participant his first 5 seasons, however by no means even made a Pro Bowl. He’s having an enormous breakout at age 28.
It’s honest to present the Chiefs slightly little bit of the shade that the Bills get. It’s exhausting to throw an excessive amount of shade on a staff that has gained 10 of 11, however the late-season schedule was very comfortable and the Chiefs hardly ever blew anybody out. Five of these wins got here in one-score video games. They struggled to beat groups just like the Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans with Malik Willis at quarterback. We all know that the Chiefs protection continues to be simply common. But it is nonetheless a 14-3 staff with the most effective quarterback on the planet, and received some invaluable relaxation on wild-card weekend.
The Eagles are exhausting to rank. How wholesome is Jalen Hurts? Presumably, after he performed in Week 18 after which received per week off, he must be near 100% from a shoulder harm that precipitated him to overlook a few video games. If he is again to regular and never rusty, the Eagles are nearly as good as anybody. They’re 14-1 with Hurts within the lineup and do not have to depart Philly till the Super Bowl, in the event that they advance that far. But, just like the Bills, the Eagles have been way more dominant within the early and center elements of the season.
The 49ers have not misplaced since Oct. 23. If you ignore Christian McCaffrey’s first recreation with the 49ers after he was traded to San Francisco, when he received restricted snaps hours after becoming a member of the staff, they’ve gained all 11 video games with McCaffrey. Eight of these wins have been by double digits. No staff seemed higher within the divisional spherical. There’s already a bizarre debate about Brock Purdy occurring, however the fact is that he has been an environment friendly quarterback enjoying his function very properly, and if the 49ers lose it most likely will not be as a result of their quarterback had a meltdown many appear to be anticipating. It’s nonetheless exhausting to win three video games and take dwelling a Super Bowl, however no staff is enjoying higher than the 49ers.
