Power rankings: Bills jump to top team in AFC in most polls

Last week: No. 6

The entire conference is in the Bills’ hands, and all eyes will be on Josh Allen. If Buffalo can close out the regular season and secure home-field advantage, it will be another step in the Bills’ renaissance.

They’re back in the driver’s seat for the AFC playoff field.

Previous rank: No. 5

Life without Von Miller started off in encouraging form for the Bills, who shut down a tepid Patriots attack during a prime-time win in Foxborough. Buffalo pressured Mac Jones on 39.5 percent of his dropbacks (the second-highest rate of the QB’s career, according to ESPN) and surrendered just 242 yards of total offense in the 24-10 conquest. With Miller’s availability in doubt after his move to IR, it’s essential that Buffalo gets impact play from its remaining pass rushers; Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa both made an impact in their return to the lineup in Week 13. The victory, coupled with Sunday losses by the Dolphins and Chiefs, moved Buffalo from the fifth seed all the way to No. 1 in the AFC with five games to play. Nice little weekend!

They would be the top seed in the AFC if the playoffs started today. They have righted things after a lull a few weeks ago.

(Last week: 5)

Make the playoffs: 99.4 percent

Win the Super Bowl: 12.3 percent

The No. 1 seed would be nice, but Buffalo’s top priority ahead of the playoffs is to get healthy. Tre’Davious White settled in by playing 61 percent of the snaps against the Patriots while the Bills figure out the plan opposite him. The absence of left tackle Dion Dawkins was felt in a big way, and it’s hard to imagine the offensive line holding up without him come playoff time. Meanwhile, Gregory Rousseau’s return helped Buffalo’s pass rush deal with Von Miller being on injured reserve. Letting Miller recover until playoff time makes plenty of sense, since that’s what he was signed for.

Goal No. 2 is getting Josh Allen to be a little more careful with the football without sapping him of the creativity that makes him special. Only Matt Ryan and Justin Fields have more combined interceptions and fumbles than Allen’s 21.

Up next: vs. New York Jets, Sunday 1 p.m. ET

The Bills also enjoyed a dominant get-right game on the road in New England to open Week 13 on Thursday night. Josh Allen looks more like himself and the running game and defense are finding their late 2021 form again.

The Bills had a great week. They won at New England and then saw Miami and Kansas City lose. Now the Bills have it all in front of them. If they win out, they’re the No. 1 seed in the AFC. That’s a lot to ask, but that might be what the Bills have to do, given the Chiefs’ easy remaining schedule.

Week 13 ranking: 3

We’re No. 1 in … the AFC.

After beating the Patriots on Thursday, the Bills sat on their couches Sunday and watched the Dolphins and Chiefs lose, moving Buffalo to the top spot in the AFC with five weeks to go. Wins over the Chiefs (with whom they share the same record), Ravens and Titans could prove to be key for the Bills as the three teams are behind them in the standings. Securing home-field advantage has been a priority after consecutive trips to Kansas City in the playoffs. With the Bills in charge of their own destiny, back-to-back home games against the Jets and Dolphins will be crucial, along with “Monday Night Football” at Cincinnati.