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The Buffalo Bills have been proving themselves this season and it seems like people are finally starting to notice.
After the Bills captured the AFC East for the first time in 25 years this past Saturday with a 48-19 victory over the Denver Broncos, they’ve catapulted up ESPN’s Weekly NFL Power Rankings and currently trail only the Kansas City Chiefs as they sit in the No. 2 spot.
The Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, and Tennessee Titans round out the top 5 spots. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, and Indianapolis Colts sit in spots six through 10. The Bills were ranked third a week ago.
In ESPN’s article, Bills beat reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques describes Cole Beasley as Buffalo’s underrated star.
2. Buffalo Bills (11-3)
Week 15 ranking: 3Most underrated star: WR Cole Beasley
While most of the focus on the Bills’ wide receiver corps has deservedly been on Stefon Diggs, Beasley has put together the best season of his career. He has set personal highs in receptions, yards and yards per catch, and with two games left, he is just 50 yards from his first 1,000-yard season. Beasley is a safety net for quarterback Josh Allen, and this offense would have a difficult time moving the ball without him — even with Diggs’ spectacular numbers. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
On Monday, the Buffalo Bills also moved up to the No. 2 seed in the AFC after the Steelers lost to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.
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The Bills are Playing Complementary Football
During the first part of the season, the Bills were all offense and they were beating teams in a different way than they had the past few seasons. They were, and still are, scoring at will. They’ve increased their points per game average by 9.5 points compared to last year, which is a league-high.
But, during the beginning of the season, the Bills were allowing opponents to score at will as well. That’s changed in recent weeks as the Bills defense hasn’t allowed a team to score more than 25 points since Arizona’s hail-mary victory in Week 10. In the past four weeks, the Bills have scored 26 points or more and scored a season-high 48 points this past week against the Broncos.
“I like it when they (the offense) moves the ball and score points and I like it when our defense doesn’t let teams move the ball and limits points,” McDermott said with a laugh during a video conference call on Monday. “We’re showing that we are playing good complementary football. I like the way we’ve been able to move the ball and score points though. That’s the name of the game and that’s how you win games.”
Quarterback Josh Allen and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll have been at the head of that charge as Allen is the first Bills quarterback in team history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Bills Staff Garnering Head Coaching Consideration
When a team like the Bills, who are 11-3, have the success that they do, it’s more than likely that McDermott’s offensive and defensive coordinators would be considered for head coaching positions in the offseason.
Daboll and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier are getting just that. With the success the offense is having this season, Daboll is one of the hottest head-coaching candidates out there, but McDermott said both he and Frazier are worthy of any opportunity.
“I would recommend Brian or Leslie for the next step,” McDermott said during his video conference call on Monday. “I think both have done a phenomenal job and I think that’s what comes with success. Yet, you have to be mature and professional enough to handle that yet all the while chasing a championship.”
Daboll hasn’t held a head coaching position yet, but he did hold multiple positions inside the New England Patriots organization and was also the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and Alabama before joining the Bills in 2018.
Frazier has held a head coaching position before though. He was at the helm of the Minnesota Vikings between 2010-2013 and has also held multiple defensive coordinator positions with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Bills. He was also the defensive coordinator for the Vikings before he was promoted to the head coach.
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