Power Rankings

[Ann]

The Bills were voted #2 by 4/5. The one who voted them #3 voted Tennesse #2... and Tennesse is #7 on this list.
 

NFL execs rank AFC teams 1-16: Chiefs on top, Browns rise, Steelers fading (The Athletic article, paid site)
 

2. Buffalo Bills

Votes: 2-3-2-2-2 | Avg: 2.2 | Median: 2

Setting aside Houston and Deshaun Watson, the Chiefs are the only AFC team with a quarterback who earned Tier 1 status from 50 coaches and evaluators this summer. The Bills’ Josh Allen was the next AFC quarterback in the rankings, atop Tier 2, which helped Buffalo rank second here.
 

“I’ll be shocked if Josh Allen doesn’t do it again,” a voter said. “He still has the best receiver in the NFL, a good defense, great head coach, same offensive coordinator. There is no reason they should not do it again. The line has settled down. Just the maturity.”

The Bills are back. Are they better?
 

“Buffalo meets expectations just enough across the board where you feel good about them, but there is no defining feature about them,” one voter said. “When you look at their division, New England is going to be better. There will be more balance in that division, which will make it tougher for Buffalo.”

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

1 hour ago, Ann said:

“Buffalo meets expectations just enough across the board where you feel good about them, but there is no defining feature about them,” one voter said. 

 

That voter has either been hit in the head with a baseball bat too frequently, or not frequently enough.

[B-Man]

 

 

NFL Power Rankings, Week 1: Buccaneers, Chiefs begin 2021 season on top

 

No big changes.

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-week-1-buccaneers-chiefs-begin-2021-season-on-top

[Ann]

Everybody's got a ranking..
 

 

 

[Alaska Darin]

I'll believe the BILLS can beat the Buccaneers when they actually do.  We've played 2 "bottom half of the league offenses" the first two weeks.  Ben and Tua scare literally no one.  The Fish and Steelers both have terrible offensive lines.

 

The real tests are coming.

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

1 hour ago, Alaska Darin said:

Ben and Tua scare literally no one.

 

Pretty sure Tua scares Brian Flores.

[Ann]

 

https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1440335066895249414

[Joe]

17 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

I'll believe the BILLS can beat the Buccaneers when they actually do.  We've played 2 "bottom half of the league offenses" the first two weeks.  Ben and Tua scare literally no one.  The Fish and Steelers both have terrible offensive lines.

 

The real tests are coming.

You know what, though? The Bucs defense isn't really scary.

 

 

[Ann]

From yahoo sports:
 

NFL Power Rankings entering Week 4
 

1. Buffalo Bills (2-1, defeated Washington Football Team)
The hiccup in the first week of the season is just a memory. The Buffalo Bills look threatening, menacing, and most important, complete. They destroyed Washington. Josh Allen was brilliant. And for a reward? Up Next: vs. Houston Texans

[Ann]

This one has the Bills at #4 (fair, IMO)
 

 

[Ann]

Ahead of the Cardinals!?!?
 

NFL Power Rankings Week 5: 1-32 poll, plus the biggest surprise for every team
 

1. Buffalo Bills (3-1)
Previous ranking: 3

Biggest surprise: Defensive dominance
 

Why it's a surprise: The fact that the Bills' defense is playing well is not surprising, but it's the numbers that the unit has put up that couldn't have been expected. Buffalo has forced three or more turnovers in each of the past three games and has held two opponents scoreless in four games -- including a 40-0 win against Houston on Sunday. No matter the opposing offenses -- the team has faced three backup quarterbacks -- that's a big accomplishment in the NFL. That success has led to a plus-90 scoring margin. The Bills are the fifth team to be plus-80 or better through four games in the past 20 years. -- Alaina Getzenberg

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

My preferred ranking is the NFL Elo Rating.  For those who don't know: it's a statistical method that measures relative performance of teams, with a baseline rating of 1505, adjusted up and down proportional to the Elo rating of opponents based on game results.  Has the benefit of being objective - it's not some writer's opinion.  Has the problem of being better suited to individual performance - was originally designed for chess ratings.

 

Anyhow...by 535, the Bills are #1 with an Elo rating of 1658.  Bucs are second at 1653.  Chiefs, third with 1627.

 

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2021-nfl-predictions/

[Alaska Darin]

This week is going to tell us a lot about this team.  Mahomes has more talent in his pinky than the 5 QBs we've faced so far.

[Joe]

1 minute ago, Alaska Darin said:

This week is going to tell us a lot about this team.  Mahomes has more talent in his pinky than the 5 QBs we've faced so far.

 

Plus side: This also might be the worst defense we've faced all year.

 

[IDBillzFan]

1 minute ago, Alaska Darin said:

This week is going to tell us a lot about this team.  Mahomes has more talent in his pinky than the 5 QBs we've faced so far.

 

Probably my biggest concern with this game is how solid of a second-half team the Chefs are when it comes to adjustments. I feel like this Bills defense is finally built to hold them up...but can they do it for the whole 60? It feels like it, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[Alaska Darin]

2 hours ago, IDBillzFan said:

 

Probably my biggest concern with this game is how solid of a second-half team the Chefs are when it comes to adjustments. I feel like this Bills defense is finally built to hold them up...but can they do it for the whole 60? It feels like it, but I'll believe it when I see it.

They remind me a lot of the 90s' BILLS.  They can overcome themselves at pretty much any point in the game, so you have to constantly play at a high level.

Cleveland was cleaning their clock week 1.  Just physically whipping them.  Had a couple of breakdowns and mental errors...next thing you know they're losing a very winnable game.

 

KC is very mentally tough and definitely able to overcome their mistakes.  The BILLS have to get better in that department.  It's probably the biggest issue this team has (highlighted by Singletary dropping the pass in the AFC Championship game...we never came back from it).

 

I remember when the BULLS were desperately trying to beat the Pistons and just kept coming up short.  When they finally did it, they because a dynasty for the ages.

[Foxx]

2 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

They remind me a lot of the 90s' BILLS.  They can overcome themselves at pretty much any point in the game, so you have to constantly play at a high level.

Cleveland was cleaning their clock week 1.  Just physically whipping them.  Had a couple of breakdowns and mental errors...next thing you know they're losing a very winnable game.

 

KC is very mentally tough and definitely able to overcome their mistakes.  The BILLS have to get better in that department.  It's probably the biggest issue this team has (highlighted by Singletary dropping the pass in the AFC Championship game...we never came back from it).

 

I remember when the BULLS were desperately trying to beat the Pistons and just kept coming up short.  When they finally did it, they because a dynasty for the ages.

I think everything feeds off of Josh. Have him get over the Chiefs like did when he took it did another level after the loss to the Texans in the 2019 playoffs, and the whole team does as well. 

 

For what it's worth, I am expecting Josh to do just this. I don't know if it happens this week, but it definitely happens, because he has that will about him. 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

7 hours ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

My preferred ranking is the NFL Elo Rating.  For those who don't know: it's a statistical method that measures relative performance of teams, with a baseline rating of 1505, adjusted up and down proportional to the Elo rating of opponents based on game results.  Has the benefit of being objective - it's not some writer's opinion.  Has the problem of being better suited to individual performance - was originally designed for chess ratings.

 

Anyhow...by 535, the Bills are #1 with an Elo rating of 1658.  Bucs are second at 1653.  Chiefs, third with 1627.

 

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2021-nfl-predictions/

 

And for additional context: the all-time highest rating is the 2007 Pats, with a rating around 1850, just before they lost the Superbowl. 

[Ann]

 

 

https://twitter.com/TheHerd/status/1445496168029458433

[Ann]

Anything between 1 and 5 is fair, IMO: