With dramatic decline of contenders, AFC rolling out red carpet for Bills

The Buffalo Bills may have suffered their first loss last weekend, but the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens are a combined 3-7.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen rallies the offense against the Patriots in Week 5. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's the second week of October and — despite last weekend's stunning home loss to the New England Patriots — the AFC seems to be rolling out the red carpet for the Buffalo Bills.

As expected, the Bills have the best record in the conference at 4-1. But then it gets real wonky, real quick.

Shockingly, the only other AFC teams with one loss are the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers. We're not sharp enough to quantify what those odds might have looked like, but safe to say anyone predicted this early-season shakeup could be a very rich man.

MORE: After loss to Patriots, Bills no longer perfect but remain Super Bowl LX favorites

Most surprising of all, the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens — figured to be the Bills' biggest obstacles to getting to Super Bowl LX — are a combined 3-7. Bills' nemesis Patrick Mahomes lost to the Jags on Monday Night Football to fall to 2-3. The Ravens, playing without injured quarterback Lamar Jackson, gave up 44 points in a home blowout loss to the Houston Texans in Week 5 to fall a head-scratching 1-4.

Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) makes a catch against the Patriots. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Another thorn in Buffalo's side has been Joe Burrow. But the Cinicinnati Bengals' quarterback underwent toe surgery Sept. 17 and is expected to miss three months. He won't return until late December, and the Bengals are 0-3 without him.

MORE: Sean McDermott updates Josh Allen's health status after Bills' QB 'took some shots'

The Chargers were the AFC's most dominant team early, but they have their top two running backs and two best offensive linemen to injuries to fall to 3-2.

As it stands, Josh Allen's path to an AFC Championship goes through the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Daniel Jones and Aaron Rodgers, who will be 42 come playoff time.

The loss to the Patriots stings. But with the dramatic regression of their two biggest contenders, the AFC is there for the Bills taking.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott during the first half at Highmark Stadium vs the Patriots. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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