It’s not crazy to see the Buffalo Bills listed in NFL power rankings… considering they are a team in the league.
What’s different about this week’s look around national outlets? Several will often write about one team in particular as a warmup for their weekly poll.
It’s incredible to see how many of these did so with Buffalo in mind. The Bills and quarterback Josh Allen are the talk of the NFL. A beautiful sight to see, just like some of the sports the Bills landed in, even a top-three spot.
Here’s this week’s power ranking poll roundup for the Bills as they head into Week 3:
USA TODAY
11. Bills (12)
Third-year QB Josh Allen followed the first 300-yard passing game of his career with the first 400-yard effort. Big test upcoming vs. Jalen Ramsey and Rams, who have allowed one TD pass so far.
Touchdown Wire
6. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 9)
It’s not as pejorative as people think to call a quarterback a “system quarterback.” In truth, all quarterbacks are that to a greater or lesser degree. Buffalo’s Josh Allen, though, seems intent on breaking the system with plays like this.
Still, it’s important to note that Allen is not the same quarterback we saw vomit the ball all over the field in the Bills’ playoff loss to Houston last season. It’s come against two really bad defenses in the Jets and Dolphins, but through his first two games of the 2020 season, Allen is the fourth quarterback in NFL history to rack up at least 700 passing yards, six touchdown passes, and zero interceptions in his team’s first two games.
The other guys? Peyton Manning in 2013, Tom Brady in 2015, and Patrick Mahomes last season. We’ll wait and see how sustainable this is against stronger competition, but the Bills have a ton of targets for Mr. Allen, and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is creating nightmarish matchup issues for opposing defenses. Buffalo faces the Rams next Sunday, which should be a better test.
Sports Illustrated
4. Buffalo Bills (2-0)
Raise your hand if you expected Josh Allen to be leading the NFL in passing through Week 2. On one hand, I’m tempted to say: please show me how they perform against teams that aren’t the Jets or a banged-up Dolphins. On the other, this is exactly what you try and do with developing QBs—you create a runway and build confidence.
NFL.com
6. Buffalo Bills (2-0)
The Bills are 2-0 after wins over the Jets and Dolphins, and Josh Allen — so far, at least — is making all his believers look smart. Here’s a fun stat from our NFL Research team: Allen is the second quarterback since 1948 to throw for 700 yards and complete 70 percent of passes with zero interceptions in the first two weeks of a season. The other guy? Patrick Mahomes. Allen’s game has been undoubtedly lifted by the arrival of Stefon Diggs. The wideout has been worth his weight in gold, delivering a 16/239/1 line through two games. A Week 3 showdown with the 2-0 Rams will serve as a great litmus test.
Pro Football Talk
5. Bills (No. 7; 2-0)
The Bills finally have found their next Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas, in the same guy.
Sporting News
4. Buffalo Bills 2-0 (5)
Josh Allen is trying to get himself in the same fun-and-gun company as Mahomes and Jackson. The Bills haven’t made it look all that easy at times against the Jets and the Dolphins, but the solid results are there. The Rams will be a good tougher test.
Yahoo! Sports
3. Buffalo Bills (2-0, LW: 4)
Stefon Diggs put up 153 yards and a touchdown Sunday. It’s reasonable to think they overpaid in the trade to get Diggs from the Vikings, but it was a bold, aggressive move for a team that saw its window to win a division title (and maybe more) opening up. It’s hard to find a difference-making receiver like Diggs, and they won’t come cheap if they are available.
CBS Sports
5. Bills (+1)
The defense gave up some big plays, but they were without two top linebackers. But Josh Allen has to love having Stefon Diggs to throw the football to this season.
Bleacher Report
6. Buffalo Bills (2-0)
High: 6
Low: 8
Last Week: 7
Week 2 Result: Won at Miami 31-28
To take the next step as a franchise and make a deep playoff run in 2020, the Buffalo Bills need their young quarterback to do the same and improve as a passer in his third season.
If Sunday’s win in Miami is any indication, Josh Allen is doing just that.
The former Wyoming standout had the best game of his career as a passer against the Dolphins, throwing for 417 yards and four touchdowns. Allen made good use of his new No. 1 receiver, connecting with Stefon Diggs on eight passes for 153 yards and a score.
Through two games this season, Allen has thrown for an eye-popping 729 yards with six touchdowns and zero interceptions. However, those numbers come with an asterisk of sorts: They came against two of the NFL’s worst defenses from last year.
Next week’s home tilt with the 2-0 Los Angeles Rams will be Buffalo’s biggest test of the young season. But through two weeks, there’s no denying that Allen and the Bills offense have been impressive.
ESPN
6. Buffalo Bills (2-0)
Week 2 ranking: 7
Under-the-radar fantasy standout: WR Cole Beasley
He is a known commodity in the NFL, but Beasley was somewhat of an afterthought entering the season. However, he has seen at least six targets in each of his first two games, turning them into 128 yards on nine catches. Beasley’s involvement in the passing game shouldn’t be a surprise, considering he is picking up where he left off in 2019 — when he saw at least six targets in 11 of the 15 games he played. He might not have many explosive outings, but he is clearly a factor in a surprisingly fertile Buffalo passing attack (league-leading 359.5 yards per game) and worth rostering in PPR leagues.
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