Star defender believes Bills poised to find 'another gear' down NFL season stretch

So what's the benefit of the Buffalo Bills' convincing victory in Week 13? According to NFL insider Albert Breer ... options.

"The Bills are in a fascinating spot," Breer writes in Sports Illustrated Monday morning. "They could still win the AFC East—they’re two games back of the Patriots in the loss column, but get New England again in Week 15. They could be on the road in the first round. They could miss the playoffs altogether."

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To Breer's point, the Bills that started 4-0 and have beaten the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and - on Sunday - the Pittsburgh Steelers look a team that could win Super Bowl LX. But the Bills that looked hapless in losses to the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons looked all too ready to start preparation for a high first-round pick in April.

Josh Allen | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The win over the Steelers was a microcosm of the season. The Bills trailed at halftime after producing two turnovers, five penalties and only three points. But they dominated the second half by the score of 23-0, bloodying Aaron Rodgers' nose on defense and flashing a wrecking-ball running game that eventually took Mike Tomlin and T.J. Watt's soul.

Even Christian Benson, who had a fumble return for touchdown and an interception, has trouble explaining this year's team. Writes Breer:

“We just …” corner Christian Benford said over the phone, trying to find the best way to describe it. “There’s nothing wrong. We’re human, so if things don’t happen, there’s going to be a lot of things said behind closed doors, a lot of things that not everybody’s going to see that’s going to happen. But that’s life, nobody’s perfect.”

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The 8-4 Bills are the AFC's No. 1 Wild Card. Beat the Patriots in two weeks and they still have a realistic shot to win their sixth consecutive AFC East championship. The key? Finding the gear that powered the 4-0 start, and stay away from the consistency that's led to a 4-4 record since.

Breer asked Benford if he believes the Bills have still another higher gear in them?

“Yeah,” Benford said, “I do.”

Sean McDermott | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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