The Buffalo Bills fell to the New England Patriots 23-20 on Sunday, causing them to drop one spot in the NFL.com’s power rankings.
NFL.com’s lead draft writer Eric Edholm ranked all 32 teams heading into Week 6, placing the Bills at No. 3.
“Having seen the Eagles lose earlier in the day, the Bills knew they had a chance to ascend to the pinnacle of the Edholm rankings,” Edholm wrote Tuesday. “Likely talked about it pregame, too. But alas, playing with their food — something the Bills began to do against Miami and New Orleans — finally cost them. Two first-quarter fumbles and a rough Josh Allen interception ended up being quite harmful, as the Patriots converted those turnovers into 10 points. The Bills took a third-quarter lead, lost it and then tied the game up late, but Allen’s three incomplete passes after cruising into New England territory on that game-tying drive really hurt. The defense couldn’t stop Stefon Diggs in his return to Highmark, and Drake Maye stung the home team late. It was a grounding loss for a team with big dreams.”
The Bills Had A Rough Sunday Night
The Bills didn’t have their best performance on Sunday, turning the ball over three times. However, the loss doesn’t hurt them or their season goals. Every team loses at some point, except for the 1972 Miami Dolphins. The Bills happened to run into a good and upcoming Patriots squad on an unfortunate night.
Buffalo has faced some concerns, particularly with its struggle to stop the run. The Bills are allowing an average of 145.6 rushing yards per game, which ranks as the fifth worst in the league.
Buffalo Can Turn Its Team Around This Week
However, the Bills do have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Allen, and anytime he steps onto the field, the game is winnable, so they are still in great hands.
Buffalo will look to get back on track this week when it goes up against a solid Atlanta Falcons team coming off a bye. Edholm ranked the Falcons 21st in his power rankings.
“Most of the bye-week questions, interestingly enough, were on the offensive side of the ball,” Edholm wrote. “The Falcons appear to have a more productive attack overall than they fielded in 2024, but the explosive plays remain a bit elusive. The optimistic outlook is that the Commanders game was a glimmer of hope for a unit that needs to push the ball downfield a bit more, and Atlanta might be wise to incorporate more play-action with the way Bijan Robinson is running the ball. Defensively, the Falcons have been good, not allowing more than 294 yards in a game, and they’re forcing more turnovers. With A.J. Terrell working his way back from injury, that group could be even stronger. Don’t forget about Atlanta.”
If the Bills can go down to Atlanta and secure a win next Monday, they will have a 5-1 record. Following their bye week on Oct. 26, they will face the Carolina Panthers, providing an excellent opportunity to improve to 6-1.
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