Bills Drop to 6th in NFL Power Rankings
A disastrous season opener for the Buffalo Bills has dropped them from third to sixth place in the NFL Power Rankings by NFL.com.
That's understandable, considering how much they struggled to protect quarterback Josh Allen and getting a punt blocked for a touchdown in a 23-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The website's explanation?
The Bills had a defined game plan on Sunday: Spread out their wide receivers and let their superstar quarterback pick apart a suspect Pittsburgh secondary. The strategy made plenty of sense when [offensive coordinator] Brian Daboll drew it up, but the execution was woeful in a disappointing 23-16 home loss to begin the season. Josh Allen looked much more like the QB he was in his first two seasons, while Stefon Diggs and the rest of the Buffalo playmakers struggled to gain separation and deliver the splash plays that were a signature in 2020. It's not all on the QB and wideouts, though: The Bills' offensive line was bullied by a Pittsburgh pass rush that got home repeatedly with four-man fronts. Another tough D awaits for Week 2's trip to the Dolphins.
The good news for the Bills is that they play just two more teams, No. 1 Tampa Bay and No. 2 Kansas City, who are ahead of them the rest of the way in the NFL's expanded 17-game schedule.
The bad is that their next opponent has moved up to No. 13 following a road triumph over New England in Week 1.
Here's what the report says about the Dolphins:
Xavien Howard proved once again why he might be the most valuable player on the Dolphins. The star cornerback jarred the ball out of the hands of Pats running back Damien Harris late in the fourth quarter, the game-deciding turnover in a 17-16 win. While Howard thrived, Tua Tagovailoa had his ups and downs in a game that's unlikely to change any perceptions of the second-year passer. It wasn't a perfect effort by the Dolphins, but victory at Foxborough is always a big deal. After one week, Miami is the only team in the AFC East in the win column.
The Bills will be on the road for this one too, with a weather forecast that calls for a high of 88 degrees.
So they have to be ready for the heat in more ways than one. Seven Dolphins combined to hit the quarterback nine times last week. Their defense is formidable and certainly remembers the 56-26 loss to the Bills in the final game of last season.
Look for the Bills to adjust with more max-protection packages and perhaps lean on their running game a little more in short-yardage situations.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
