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The Buffalo Bills got back on track with a win against the Carolina Panthers in Week 8, and now head into a big midseason showdown at Highmark Stadium with the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday. The Bills are 5-2, and currently seeded fifth in the AFC playoff race, while the Chiefs are 5-3,
and holding onto the last playoff spot in the division at seven.
The loser of Sunday’s Week 9 game in Orchard Park, NY will find themselves out of playoff seeding for at least a short time. Kansas City’s been there before, but it would be entirely new territory for a Buffalo team led by head coach Sean McDermott and quarterback Josh Allen.
That speaks to the parity of NFL football, but also the upside down situation of the 2025 season. It’s the New England Patriots sitting atop the AFC East, and holding the two seed in the AFC playoff bracket. The Bills won’t get another crack at them until late in the season, which means it’s going to be a fight to take back their crown.
It’s no secret that Buffalo could use some help along the way. That is, beyond other teams’ results on game days. To an outsider and many analysts, the Bills’ passing game appears to be functioning at least decently well. To those of you reading this as fans, you know better. The wide receivers can’t gain a lick of separation, and Allen looks to be regressing. The team’s top wide receiver is Khalil Shakir and he makes magic happen after the catch. Unfortunately, it appears as though offensive coordinator Joe Brady doesn’t seem to be able to put second-year wide receiver Keon Coleman in the best spots to succeed. Gabe Davis lies in waiting now off injury and part of the practice squad, so perhaps his time is now.
On defense, the injuries continue piling up. It’s especially a concern at defensive tackle, where One Bills Drive just had to sign a player who has yet to take a snap in a regular-season game. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver is out indefinitely after having surgery to repair a torn biceps, joining a long list of interior D-line players who have been placed on Injured Reserve. Adding another player to the defensive line room feels like overkill with all the assets planted there, but they are thin with Jordan Phillips now part of the 53-man roster.
With the NFL trade deadline fast approaching (November 4) and the Bills in need of reinforcements, a trade seems to make a lot of sense. Anyone they make a move for would have to make sense, financially. They currently have less than $2 million in available cap space, which means contract restructures enter the chat for anyone other than a player on a veteran minimum deal.
But if you could only pick one player between wide receiver and defensive tackle, what’s your priority? It’s either/or, and only these two positions in this poll! Be sure to vote below, also weighing in on our weekly confidence poll about the direction of this year’s Buffalo Bills.
Vote now!
