For the Buffalo Bills, it just feels different this time. And sure, they have the second most wins in the NFL since 2020 and have been a perennial Super Bowl contender during that time, but they have always fallen short and have not been able to overcome that hurdle on the scale of the Kansas City Chiefs.
And even though the 2024 season is still in its infancy, this Buffalo Bills team is playing football like a grown man. The Bills have scored at least 30 points in all three games so far and just scored 47 against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that hadn’t allowed more than 20 points in its first two games.
Buffalo’s own defense has also returned to its former strength despite the absence of its biggest stars. Even without Matt Milano and Taron Johnson, the Bills were a threat on defense. Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas played like the best cornerback duo in football, allowing just nine catches for 69 yards before their win over the Jaguars. Von Miller has recorded a sack in all three games so far. Greg Rousseau had three sacks in Week 1. Ja’Marcus Ingram has filled in for Johnson at the nickel position, intercepting two passes and returning one for a touchdown in Week 2.
On offense, this unit has played like it has something to prove. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady has been in top form all year, especially in Week 3 when he consistently used man-beaters while Josh Allen tore the Jaguars apart with four first-half touchdown passes. And speaking of Allen, he is the best player in football right now. Yes, at his best, Patrick Mahomes is the NFL’s best player, but honestly, he hasn’t been at his best this season—Allen has. He ranks first in EPA per play, EPA +CPOE composite, and success rate. And the so-called “most overrated player in football” turnover machine currently has nine total touchdowns and zero interceptions while leading the Bills to a 3-0 record.
Yes, it’s only September. But as the seasons change, so do the Bills’ fortunes. And after an offseason filled with departures and criticism, the Bills have played with two proverbial middle fingers in the air aimed at anyone who doubted this group. And in a year where the Ravens are 1-2 and the Bengals are 0-3, the only team standing in their way is their old nemesis with the quarterback wearing number 15. The Bills have never won a Super Bowl and haven’t been to one since four straight losses in the early 1990s. But what if this year is finally the year? What if.
