It may be time to start taking the Buffalo Bills seriously, and there’s nothing coach Sean McDermott and quarterback Josh Allen can say to change that.
“Nah, it’s not a statement. It’s the next game,” McDermott said Sunday, after the Bills beat the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs 30-21.
“It means we have nine wins,” added Allen. “Last time I checked, nine wins probably doesn’t get you into the playoffs.” Well, almost.
With a 9-2 record, Buffalo is close to clinching its fifth straight AFC East title. They have a five-game lead over second-place Miami (4-6), and they’ve already swept the season series.
Of course, the Bills still have a lot to do as they head into their bye week, including getting healthier. They also need to focus on the future, knowing that while they’ve now beaten the Chiefs four times in a row in regular season matchups since 2021, playoff success has been another story. Buffalo is 0-3 against Kansas City in the playoffs since 2020.
That said, the win over the Chiefs is still important. It brings the Bills within half a game of Kansas City (9-1) in the race for the AFC’s top playoff spot.
A bye week would be especially helpful for Buffalo, especially with a banged-up roster. Starting linebacker Matt Milano (who had been out since August due to a torn left biceps) has resumed practicing and could return soon. Quarterback Josh Allen, who has been taking a lot of hits, would also benefit from the break.
The win also showed the strength of Buffalo’s team approach this season.
While Allen sealed the win with an impressive 26-yard touchdown run on fourth down, there were many key contributors in the victory.
Receiver Amari Cooper, who’s been playing with an injured left wrist, made a spectacular one-handed 30-yard catch that set up Buffalo’s first touchdown. Receiver Curtis Samuel, who had been quiet for most of the season, had a breakout game with five catches for 58 yards and his first touchdown.
Running back James Cook, despite averaging just 2.2 yards per carry, scored two rushing touchdowns. Buffalo’s defense also played a major role, picking off Patrick Mahomes twice and limiting the Chiefs to a season-low 259 yards.
These are the kinds of team efforts that had been missing during the Bills’ losses to Baltimore and Houston in recent weeks, which were partly due to injuries.
Now, the Bills no longer have to prove themselves by padding their record against weaker teams. They’re firmly in the conversation as one of the top teams in the AFC. Buffalo still has some challenges ahead, including a game against Detroit on Dec. 15.
But dismissing the win over the Chiefs as just “another game” would downplay how impressive the Bills’ season has been so far. With nine wins in 11 games, the team is on track to have one of the best records in franchise history, something they’ve only done five times before, and not since 1992.
Von Miller, a two-time Super Bowl winner, understands the importance of the win.
“The speech from Coach McDermott, like it’s just another game, 100 years from now nobody’s going to remember it. We were like (forget) that,” Miller said.
“It was a special moment. And to be optimistic and speak great things into existence is a wonderful feeling for sure.”
Amari Cooper had his own reasons to celebrate the victory. In his nine previous NFL seasons, the 30-year-old has made the playoffs just four times and won only one game, with Dallas in 2018.
It’s unlikely Cooper would even be in the postseason conversation if the Bills hadn’t traded for him from Cleveland last month.
“When you’re a kid, man, and you’re dreaming of football, this is the stage that you dream about,” Cooper said.
“It doesn’t come around that often, especially if you aren’t on a very good team,” he added. “It’s the first time in a long time I actually felt joy from winning this game.”
