Which Bill do you trust to win come Sunday? Here's what the NFL power rankings say
This week, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills take on their archenemy, Bill Belichick and his New England Patriots.
The Patriots beat the Bills 29-25 in late October, which should have come as no surprise to seasoned Bills fans.
Belichick, 37-8 vs. Buffalo since becoming the Pats' head coach, has been torturing football fans in western New York going back to Super Bowl 25 and Belichick's days as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.
So far in his career, Allen is 5-5 (2-2 in Orchard Park) against Belichick and the Patriots. (Belichick, for his part, owns a 19-3 record in Buffalo).
And Bills fans might be even more nervous after Buffalo barely beat the Chargers 24-22 on Saturday. It was yet another game by a team with an alarming tendency to play at the level of that week's opponent.
So my question to Buffalo fans is which Bill, Belichick or Buffalo Bill Josh Allen, do you trust to win Sunday.
Here is a roundup of power rankings for the Bills and Patriots heading into Week 17:
USA Today
Bills ranking: 4 (no change)
Patriots ranking: 27 (⬆ three spots)
Bills: Given their season-ending charge, his 40 TDs produced (27 passing, 13 rushing), and the apparent front runners mostly stuck in reverse, is QB Josh Allen going to wind up as the league MVP?
Patriots: Now positioned to draft fourth overall in 2024 following Sunday's win, should they just fire Bill Belichick now rather than risk letting him continue ruining the organization's prospects to select a new franchise quarterback next spring?
NFL.com
Bills ranking: 7 (⬆ one spot)
Patriots ranking: 29 (⬆ one spot)
Bills: I hedged a bit last week, placing the Bills in the No. 8 spot — and boy, did I hear about it. Some readers wanted them at No. 2! I wasn't about to do that, and Saturday's struggle against the Chargers was a reminder of how off they've been at various times this season. It might not be the start of a trend, but it's not exactly the kind of performance that boosts confidence in the big picture. Second-year back James Cook went from season-saving hero to fumble-prone concern in the span of a week. Buffalo's defense came up with timely plays from Ed Oliver, Rasul Douglas and Taron Johnson. And when he needed to be, Josh Allen was money. But it's like I tell my kids all the time: It doesn't have to be that difficult. That said, the Bills are never boring! With the playoffs still hanging in the balance, expect a few more plot twists before it's all said and done.
Patriots: Something tells me Bill Belichick isn't as obsessed with the Patriots' draft position as some fans are. The thrilling win at Denver reinforced the idea that the injury-battered Pats have not quit one bit on their embattled coach, as the team now has been blown out twice this season and played in 13 games that were at least pretty close. They've only won four of those contests, which is a problem, of course, but Bailey Zappe has lit a little fire under this team, and the defense is playing pretty darned well, especially considering everything the unit has lost to injury. After missing a 47-yard field goal and an extra point, Chad Ryland atoned with his 56-yard game-winner — although he's still in the red after massive misses against the Colts and Giants. This isn't a good New England team, but it's a few plays away from having six or seven wins. What the future holds for Belichick is likely only known by him and owner Robert Kraft, but there's an argument to be made that the Pats aren't as far from contending again as some might believe.
CBS Sports
Bills ranking: 6 (⬆ one spot)
Patriots ranking: 29 (⬆ one spot)
Bills: They didn't look great against the Chargers, but they found a way late. They have worked themselves back into being a playoff team right now.
Patriots: Who was that team that played in Denver? Bailey Zappe did some good things against the Broncos.
Pro Football Talk
Bills ranking: 4 (no change)
Patriots ranking: 26 (⬆ two spots)
Bills: Week 18 could still be for the AFC East crown, and possibly the No. 2 seed.
Patriots: The Patriots have not quit on Bill Belichick. If they win the last two games of the season, could that get him another year?
Touchdown Wire
Bills ranking: 3 (no change)
Patriots ranking: 29 (⬆ one spot)
Bills: Buffalo has won three straight games, and one more win will all but lock up a playoff spot. If they win next week, and if the Ravens defeat the Dolphins, Week 18 in Miami is for the division.
Patriots: The Patriots aren’t a good football team, but they haven’t quit on each other or their head coach who is likely approaching his swan song game with the franchise.
33rd Team
Bills ranking: 4 (⬆ one spot)
Patriots ranking: 29 (⬆ one spot)
Bills: It wasn’t pretty Saturday night, but the Buffalo Bills have won three in a row and four of their last five. More importantly, that run has put Buffalo back in a position to make the playoffs. Josh Allen is a perennial MVP candidate for a reason, and his Bills could make some noise this postseason. Buffalo controls its fate.
Patriots: Sometimes winning the battle leads to losing the war. The New England Patriots have won two of their last three, but that could cost them a new future at quarterback in this year’s draft. Still, the Patriots may have cost the Steelers and Broncos playoff berths in the past weeks. You have to give Bill Belichick credit for keeping this team competitive.
Pro Football Network
Bills ranking: 4 (⬆ one spot)
Patriots ranking: 30 (⬆ one spot)
Bills: The NFL is a funny place. Just a week ago the Bills were throttling the Dallas Cowboys at home. However, a flight across the nation to a five-win Chargers team with their backup quarterback and an interim head coach nearly beat them. Any team can beat anybody, but if there is one roster that the division winners (if Buffalo does not win the AFC East) don’t want to face in the Wild Card Round, it’s these Bills.
Patriots: The Patriots’ defense remains well-coached and relatively productive. Unfortunately, they’ve been offensively inept for the entire season despite rectifying their poor staffing choices a season ago. In short, they effectively ruined Mac Jones.
The Sporting News
Bills ranking: 7 (⬆ two spots)
Patriots ranking: 26 (⬆ three spots)
Bills: The Bills seem to go up and down with their identity around Josh Allen's playmaking, whether to be about running and methodical passing or high-risk, high-reward attacking. Their defense is still having ups and downs. But it looks like overall they are putting it together as a dangerous team again for the playoffs.
Patriots: The Patriots are playing hard with new offensive life thanks to Bailey Zappe. Their defense still frustrates and their special teams also is a big asset in close games. There's no quit in the potential last few games with Bill Belichick.
Yahoo! Sports
Bills ranking: 3 (no change)
Patriots ranking: 29 (⬆ one spot)
Bills: I'm willing to excuse a bad Bills performance on Saturday. It was a letdown spot after big games against the Eagles, Chiefs and Cowboys, and they did win. But that performance is also why it's tough to trust Buffalo.
Patriots: You're not telling players to tank. It's not a thing. And Sunday night's Patriots win was fun in the moment. But we all know how damaging that could be to New England. There's a massive difference between drafting No. 2 and No. 3 in this draft with Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. If the Patriots are No. 3 they can still move up to No. 2, but that will cost draft picks and other teams are going to be calling Arizona too. And at the moment the Commanders are slightly ahead of the Patriots for the No. 3 spot. That's a win we might remember for a while.
FOX Sports
Bills ranking: 4 (⬇ one spot)
Patriots ranking: 27 (⬆ three spots)
Bills: I’m dropping the Bills below the Dolphins because their win against the Chargers was lackluster. But the Bills now have the playoffs in their grasp, and there’s an outside shot at a division title. That's not too shabby for a group that was left for dead a month ago.
Patriots: It’s fun for the current team that they keep pulling out these late-season results. I’m just fascinated by the idea that the Patriots could have a new franchise quarterback and a new head coach in 2024.
Editor's note: "Sports Illustrated" hadn't published a Week 17 NFL Power Ranking by the time this article was published.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills vs. Patriots: Who tops NFL power rankings, Week 17?
