Buffalo enters its bye week ranked third in the NFL across eight major outlets. With six AFC teams in the national top 10, which contenders are trending in the right direction, and which have reasons for concern?
The Buffalo Bills may not be winning pretty, but they’re winning. And apparently, that’s enough to keep them near the top of the NFL Power Rankings.
Following a 33-30 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo improved to 5-1 and enters its Week 7 bye ranked third overall in the consensus
rankings from eight major national outlets. The Bills climbed from an average ranking of 4.25 in Week 6 to 3.88 in Week 7, despite continued concerns surrounding their defense.
Six of the eight outlets rank Buffalo third, while CBS Sports places the Bills fourth. USA Today remains the outlier, dropping Buffalo two spots to ninth despite Sunday’s victory.
The message from the national media seems fairly clear: Buffalo is one of the NFL’s best teams, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
Buffalo Bills Week 7 Power Rankings
The most notable jump comes from NFL.com, where Buffalo climbed three positions to third.
Despite the Bills’ defensive struggles, NFL.com’s Nick Shook acknowledged that Josh Allen continues to overcome many of the team’s shortcomings.
Pro Football Talk also moved Buffalo up one position, from fourth to third, although Mike Florio pointed directly to the defense as an area that still needs significant improvement.
USA Today took the opposite approach, dropping the Bills to ninth after another narrow victory. Buffalo surrendered 30 points and 313 passing yards to Las Vegas, including two fourth-quarter touchdown passes.
It’s difficult to argue with the defensive concerns. The Bills have allowed 30 or more points in four of their six games this season.
But at 5-1, they’re still finding ways to win.
How Buffalo stacks up against the AFC’s top six
With Buffalo enjoying its bye week, we’re changing things up. Instead of comparing the Bills with their next opponent, we’re taking a closer look at the six highest-ranked teams in the AFC.
Are these teams legitimate contenders, or are their records and rankings hiding some serious concerns?
AFC Power Rankings: Eight-outlet consensus
Rankings represent the average placement across ESPN, NFL.com, The Athletic, CBS Sports, USA Today, FOX Sports, Yahoo Sports, and Pro Football Talk.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
NFL consensus ranking: No. 2 | AFC ranking: No. 1
Trending up: Kansas City continues to look like the team to beat in the AFC. The Chiefs remained undefeated following a convincing 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, holding their opponent to just six points. Kenneth Walker III has given the Chiefs another dangerous offensive weapon, including a 128-yard, two-touchdown rushing performance against Los Angeles.
Trending down: The biggest question may be how Kansas City handles stronger competition. The Chiefs have some challenging games approaching, including matchups against Seattle and Denver. Those contests should offer a clearer picture of just how dominant this undefeated team really is.
Are they for real? Absolutely. Until somebody knocks them off, Kansas City remains the standard in the AFC.
2. Buffalo Bills (5-1)
NFL consensus ranking: No. 3 | AFC ranking: No. 2
Trending up: Buffalo’s offense continues to find ways to put points on the board. Josh Allen remains the driving force, while James Cook has become an increasingly important part of the offense. Cook finished Sunday’s game with 153 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, helping Buffalo secure its second consecutive road victory.
Trending down: The defense. There’s really no way around it. Buffalo has surrendered 30 or more points in four of six games, including 34 to the Rams and 30 to the Raiders over the last two weeks. The Bills continue to rely heavily on their offense to overcome defensive shortcomings, something that could become increasingly problematic against the AFC’s best teams.
Are they for real? Yes, but with an asterisk. Buffalo has the quarterback and offensive production to compete with anyone. Whether the defense can improve enough to support a deep playoff run remains the biggest question heading into the bye.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)
NFL consensus ranking: No. 5 | AFC ranking: No. 3
Trending up: Jacksonville continues to show signs of being a legitimate AFC contender. Travis Hunter’s growing impact has given the Jaguars another dangerous playmaker, and their offense demonstrated its ability to compete in a high scoring game against Houston.
Trending down: The Jaguars suffered a 34-31 loss to the Texans in London, their second defeat of the season. While Jacksonville remains firmly in the AFC’s upper tier, the inability to finish a close game raises questions about consistency.
Are they for real? The talent is there. Jacksonville looks capable of competing with the AFC’s best, but the Jaguars need to prove they can consistently finish close games.
4. Denver Broncos (4-2)
NFL consensus ranking: No. 6 | AFC ranking: No. 4
Trending up: Denver continues to gain respect around the league. The Broncos climbed in the consensus rankings after defeating Seattle 17-14, and their defense has helped keep them competitive against quality opponents.
Trending down: Offensive consistency remains the concern. Denver managed just 17 points against Seattle, and the Broncos have struggled at times to generate enough production to complement their defense. In an AFC featuring explosive offenses in Kansas City and Buffalo, that could become a significant limitation.
Are they for real? Defensively, yes. Denver has the ability to make life difficult for opponents, but its offense will ultimately determine whether the Broncos are true championship contenders.
5. New England Patriots (4-2)
NFL consensus ranking: No. 8 | AFC ranking: No. 5
Trending up: New England is quietly becoming one of the more interesting teams in the conference. The Patriots improved to 4-2 following a 26-19 victory over the New York Jets and continued to climb in the national rankings.
Are they for real? They’re certainly making a case for the most inconsistent team in the AFC. The Patriots have earned their place among the AFC’s top teams, but sustaining that success against stronger competition will determine whether they’re legitimate postseason threats.
At the time of publication, the Patriots earned another question mark already having played week seven’s game. Their play Thursday night against the Chicago Bears was sloppy. They lost 30-24, and dropped them to 4-3, which undoubtedly means they will drop in next week’s rankings. Their official emergence within the AFC remains on hold.
6. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
NFL consensus ranking: No. 10 | AFC ranking: No. 6
Trending up: Baltimore still has the talent to compete with anyone in the conference. At 4-2, the Ravens remain firmly in the playoff conversation, and their defense limited Cleveland to just 13 points in Week 6.
Trending down: The offense is struggling without
Lamar Jackson. Baltimore managed only 10 points in its loss to Cleveland, and the Ravens have slipped in the national rankings as concerns about their offensive production continue to grow.
Are they for real? That depends heavily on Jackson’s availability and the offense’s ability to rebound. Baltimore remains dangerous, but its current trajectory is less encouraging than that of several other AFC contenders.
Could Houston be the team nobody sees coming?
The Texans may not be among the AFC’s six highest-ranked teams, but they’re making a case that they shouldn’t be overlooked. Houston’s 34-31 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London was a statement, especially considering Jacksonville sits fifth in our eight-outlet national consensus.
Trending up: The Texans showed they have the offensive firepower to compete with one of the conference’s top contenders, putting up 34 points against a highly regarded Jaguars team and have won two in a row.
Trending down: Consistency remains the biggest question. Two consecutive victories doesn’t erase earlier struggles, and Houston still needs to prove it can deliver against quality opponents week after week.
Are they for real? The jury is still out, but Buffalo fans already know the Texans can make things interesting. If the Texans can build on that momentum, they could become a dangerous team nobody wants to face down the stretch.
The AFC picture heading into Week 7
Through six weeks, Kansas City and Buffalo have separated themselves from the rest of the AFC in the national consensus rankings.
The Chiefs hold the conference’s top position with a perfect 2.00 average, while Buffalo follows at 3.88.
There’s then a noticeable gap before Jacksonville at 6.63, Denver at 7.13, New England at 7.75, and Baltimore at 9.63.
But rankings don’t win playoff games.
Kansas City has yet to lose. Buffalo keeps winning despite defensive struggles. Jacksonville and Denver are searching for greater consistency, New England is still figuring things out, and Baltimore is trying to regain its offensive identity.
For the Bills, the bye week comes at an important time. Joe Brady acknowledged following Sunday’s victory that Buffalo’s best football still needs to be ahead of it.
The Bills have done enough to earn their place among the NFL’s elite. Now they need to show they can stay there.
And with Baltimore waiting on the other side of the bye, Buffalo won’t have to wait long for another opportunity to prove it.
