Power rankings: Bills start to fall out of top-10s

They’ve only got one more road game (at Philadelphia) before December 10 – a good time to right the ship given the advantage Buffalo enjoys at Orchard Park … and maybe to try and evolve this offense beyond QB Josh Allen running or throwing to WR Stefon Diggs.

Last Week: 6

That was a typical Bills loss. The offense struggled early, turned the ball over, Gabe Davis was a complete non-factor, and the lack of depth on both sides of the ball was very evident.

They need to get things figured out, or the playoffs won’t happen this year.

Josh Allen has played like an MVP candidate since his Week 1 stinker against the Jets. Allen must continue to prove his value during the back half of their schedule, considering how much loss they’ve sustained on the defensive side of the ball.

Since Week 5, only the Packers, Commanders, and Panthers have produced worse EPA markers. It turns out that losing your best interior run presence, an All-Pro linebacker, and a former All-Pro CB does a number on your defensive cohesiveness.

That defense proved once again to be their Achilles heel. Although Buffalo made a move for Rasul Douglas at the deadline, it wasn’t enough to defend against a Bengals offense riddled with weapons and a healthy Joe Burrow.

Last Week: 7

Week 9 Result: Lost at Cincinnati 24-18

There could be trouble brewing in Buffalo.

After surprisingly dropping the season opener to the New York Jets, the Bills peeled off three straight wins, including a blowout victory over the Miami Dolphins. But over the last month, the Bills have looked—average. The Bills are 2-3 over the past five, and even the wins weren’t all that impressive—single-digit victories over the Buccaneers and Giants.

Now, after falling in Cincinnati Sunday night, the Bills are just a game above .500, and while talking to the media after the game, quarterback Josh Allen said the offense has been far too inconsistent of late.

“Just finding a way to get into a rhythm,” Allen said. “Come out on an opening drive, had some success moving the ball and obviously hit a lull there and didn’t score until late in the fourth. We had our opportunities, [but] didn’t score before the half, didn’t get six on the first drive of the second half. That’s not complementary football.”

Add in a defense that continues to be beset by injuries (leading tackler Terrel Bernard went down with a head injury against the Bengals) and one of the NFL’s most difficult schedules the rest of the way, and there’s cause for some concern in Western New York at the season’s halfway point.

(Last week: 11)

Sunday: Lost to Cincinnati Bengals 24-18

Report card: C-plus

Buffalo spends more salary-cap space on its defense ($111 million) than any team in the NFL other than Pittsburgh. Yet it has a defense that ranks 14th in the league in total defensive EPA (27.09). Josh Allen has to be Super Josh Allen for this team to win big games, and he wasn’t that Sunday, completing 26-for-38 for 258 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Up next: vs. Denver Broncos, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

You can convince yourself that Sunday’s loss was simply a Bengals problem; it was clear last season Cincinnati had an edge against this Bills team, and perhaps that edge just carried over. But Buffalo is now 5-4, and the offense has arguably had as many issues as the defense, at least relative to expectation. The Bills put together an impressive 85-yard TD drive on their first possession, then gained just 108 yards in their next six drives. The offensive line wasn’t really an issue. The offensive personnel appears to be in decent shape. But the up-tempo pace and some of the four-wide formations they seemingly flourished with against Tampa were nowhere to be found against the Bengals. Can they secure five more victories somewhere against a really tough remaining schedule?

They have offensive issues in large part because of the play-calling. They need to let Josh Allen play fast because the defense has lost too many players.

Von Miller’s whiff on Joe Mixon in the backfield, when the Bills needed a tackle on third down to get the ball back, sums up where the Bills are at. The talent is there, but Buffalo is a step behind. Buffalo is about a coin flip to make the playoffs at this point. It still seems like a decent bet that the Bills will make the postseason, but it’s surprising this conversation is taking place after nine weeks.

Week 9 ranking: 9

Non-QB MVP: WR Stefon Diggs

For all of the inconsistencies that have plagued the Bills’ offense this season, it’s hard to imagine where the unit would be without Diggs. He is consistently making splash plays, such as a 34-yard gain on the opening drive against the Bengals that got the Bills moving downfield, and is arguably the most reliable performer on an offense that is dealing with its share of issues. Diggs leads the team in almost every receiving category (70 receptions for 834 yards and seven touchdowns), and getting Diggs the ball is a recipe for success.