Baffling loss to inferior team stands out in Bills 2025 record prediction

Despite posting a solid record in SI.com’s season projection, it’s hard to overlook one baffling loss for the Buffalo Bills.

Bills QB Josh Allen comes off the field after one of his three touchdown passes against the Panthers. | Jamie Germano / USA TODAY NETWORK

Over the past five-year period, the Buffalo Bills have been kings of the AFC East.

They’ve won the division in each of those years and have made it to the playoffs the past six seasons. That’s why Connor Orr of SI.com said selecting them to win the division this year was an easy and safe bet.

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What wasn’t a “safe” pick was one of the five losses Orr predicted when selecting a winner for all 272 games this season.

”Projecting the Bills to win the AFC East was the easiest and safest part of this venture. Buffalo has a clear advantage in nearly every category on its roster over every other team in the division,” Orr said.

“If you look at the losses on the schedule, one in particular stands out: Carolina after the bye. For a team that can sometimes get in its own head, I wanted to have the Bills lose an absolute head-scratcher when it was clear the team was looking ahead to a far more consequential matchup against the 2024 conference champion Chiefs.”

Losing to Carolina after a bye would sting, but not as bad as it would have in 2024. The Panthers at least appear to be a better team this year than they were.

It would also help ease the pain if they beat Kansas City the following week, but we all know that win means nothing without a victory over the Chiefs in the playoffs.

Has Buffalo done enough for Josh Allen and the rest of the Bills to get past Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs? | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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