Bills disrespected in new power rankings ahead of showdown vs. Chiefs

In The Athletic's Week 9 power rankings, the Buffalo Bills are ranked behind six teams with similar, two-loss records.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen runs for the game-clinching TD against the Chiefs in 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills have a chance Sunday to not only beat their nemesis, but also quiet their critics.

Last regular season at Highmark Stadium, the Bills beat Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs but then lost to them in a dramatic AFC Championship Game. A victory next weekend certainly won't avenge that heartbreaking loss, but it would give Bills Mafia some valuable ammunition when defending their team to skeptics.

MORE: Bills' blowout of Panthers reveals blueprint to AFC Championship Game

The Bills are 5-2, but they have yet to beat a team that currently has a winning record. Their victories have come against the Baltimore Ravens (2-5), New York Jets (1-7), Miami Dolphins (2-6), New Orleans Saints (1-7) and Carolina Panthers (4-4). That's a combined record of 10-29.

The 40-9 shellacking of the Panthers did little to impress the doubters last weekend. Though entering the Week 9 showdown against the Chiefs the Bills are the AFC's No. 5 seed and only a half-game behind the New England Patriots in the AFC East, they inched only two spots in The Athletic's weekly power rankings and are barely in the Top 10.

Sean McDermott | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Will Bills use disrespect as motivation?

The Chiefs, with a worse record at 5-3, are ranked No. 4 this week. Kansas City is also favored in the game at Highmark Stadium, adding more disrespect.

MORE: NFL analyst kicks dirt on Bills' grave with shocking AFC East prediction

The Patriots, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams - also all with two losses like the Bills - are ranked ahead of Buffalo. The only two-loss team ranked below the Bills are the Seattle Seahawks.

It's unlikely Bills' head coach Sean McDermott needs bulletin-board motivation this week. But just in case, The Athletic just provided more for him.

The Bills' Josh Allen and Dalton Kincaid celebrate after a win over the Chiefs in 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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