Media Mashup: Buffalo Bills Season-Ending Power Rankings

After one of the most trying and emotional ends to a season we’ve ever had, the Buffalo Bills are headed to the playoffs. It was the longest season we’ve ever had and, through great adversity, the Bills triumphed. After their crushing win over the New England Patriots, this team secured their 13-3 record for home-field advantage. What does the media have to say about this remarkable season? Let’s check the Power Rankings to find out.

NFL.com: 2nd

Author: Dan Hanzus

“The return to football played out like a movie script that would necessitate a re-write for being too saccharine and fanciful. Nyheim Hines took the opening kickoff 96 yards to the house on Sunday against the Patriots, sending Orchard Park into hysterics and prompting the perfect response from Damar Hamlin. Hines, almost impossibly, added a second return score that put Buffalo ahead for good in the second half. ‘You want the truth? It was spiritual, it really was. Bone-chilling. It was special,’ quarterback Josh Allen said. ‘I can’t remember a play that touched me like that, I don’t think in my life.’ Would you want to play these Bills right now? The Dolphins draw that tough assignment on Sunday.”

theScore: 3rd

Author: theScore Staff

N/A

Bleacher Report: 2nd

Authors: NFL Staff

“It was an unprecedented and difficult week for the Buffalo Bills — Damar Hamlin’s life-threatening injury and the cancellation of the team’s Week 17 game with the Bengals both loomed large over Buffalo as the Bills played the New England Patriots. But the jolt that running back Nyheim Hines sent through the team and stadium by returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown helped propel the Bills to a win in Week 18, and after the NFL ruled that a Bills/Chiefs AFC Championship Game would take place at a neutral site, the Bills won’t have to play a true road game in the postseason.

After the victory, quarterback Josh Allen told reporters that Hines’ return was arguably the most exciting play he has ever seen.

“You want the truth, it was spiritual, it really was. Bone-chilling. It was special. I can’t remember a play that touched me like that, I don’t think in my life. So, it’s probably No. 1 [football memory]. It was just spiritual. And I was going around with my teammates and saying, ‘God’s real.’ You can’t draw that one up any better.”

Allen on Nyheim Hines’ opening kick return TD (via ESPN)

Davenport thinks these Bills could ride that wave of emotion all the way to the Super Bowl. “The Bills were already going to be a tough out,” he said. “The offense is explosive. The defense can be stifling. The Bills might be the most balanced team in the league. And now the entire team — and entire city of Buffalo — is rallying around their fallen teammate. The atmosphere at Highmark Stadium is going to be off the chain. The team is going to be that much more motivated. The Dolphins are about to walk into a buzzsaw.”

The Ringer: 3rd

Author: Austin Gayle

“Josh Allen and receiver Stefon Diggs are two of the NFL’s premier players at their respective positions, and Sean McDermott and his coaching staff have maximized Buffalo’s talent on both sides of the ball. They’ve impressively rallied through unprecedented adversity following Damar Hamlin’s terrifying injury on Monday Night Football in Week 17. The Bills are an extremely talented team with even more to play for as they continue to honor Hamlin during their pursuit of a Super Bowl title.”

ESPN: 2nd

Author: ESPN Staff

N/A

The Athletic: 2nd

Author: Bo Wulf

“Monday’s news that Damar Hamlin is returning to Buffalo for the next phase of his recovery is a wonderful development to cap a hellish week for him and the team. On the field, everything the Bills have done since the seconds following last season’s dramatic playoff loss in Kansas City has been about putting them in position to win the Super Bowl. No team’s regular season felt more like a preamble than Buffalo’s. With their only three losses coming by a grand total of eight points, the Bills have a case to be the best team in the league. Time to prove it.”

NBC Sports: 2nd

Author: Josh Schrock

“For 17 years, there were no playoffs in Buffalo. Now the Bills are a mainstay, thanks to Josh Allen.”

CBS Sports: 1st

Author: Pete Prisco

“They overcame a lot to be ready to play against the Patriots, [and] they did a great job of handling a tough situation after teammate Damar Hamlin went down. They are the best team right now.”

Fox Sports: 2nd

Author: David Helman

N/A

Yahoo Sports: 3rd

Author: Frank Schwab

“I’m not sure there was a better moment in the NFL season than Nyheim Hines’ kickoff return to start Sunday’s regular-season finale. It also made you wonder how far the emotional adrenaline from playing for Damar Hamlin can take the Bills. Due to the NFL ruling that an AFC championship game between the Bills and Chiefs would be on a neutral field, the Bills won’t need to win a road game to make the Super Bowl.”

USA Today: 4th

Author: Nate Davis

N/A

Sporting News: 4th

Author: Vinnie Iyer

“The Bills (+400) have fielded a deep and nasty scoring defense as expected and have backed it up with a prolific power rushing attack padded plenty by Josh Allen. Their passing game has been a disappointment at times, with more mistakes and fewer explosive plays. But Allen can get red-hot again with his big arm in the playoffs and the pass defense also can clean up better on back end. A reset for the tournament is just what Buffalo needed.”

WalterFootball.com: 2nd

Author: Walter Cherepinsky

“The Bills really needed those Nyheim Hines touchdowns to beat the Patriots because they were outgained in the game. That said, it was a tough week for them, and I doubt there was much preparation for New England. I wouldn’t read anything into it.”

Sportsnaut: 4th

Author: Matt Johnson

“It would be a phenomenal story if the Buffalo Bills could rally and win a Super Bowl ring for Damar Hamlin. Unfortunately, injuries have led to defensive regression and Josh Allen still doesn’t look like an MVP-caliber passer since suffering the UCL injury.”

Athlon Sports: 1st

Author: Bryan Fischer

N/A

Buffalo Bills Power Rankings Summary

As the regular season concludes, the media seems to believe the Buffalo Bills are just slightly lower than when they opened the season as clear favourites. Considering all the difficulty this team faced this season, we’ll gladly take it.

Sample Size	First	Second	Third	Fourth	Average
15	2	7	3	3	2nd

For the rest of this season’s power rankings, click here, and thanks for following along all year long! Have a topic you want discussed? Reach out to @IestynTHarris on Twitter to let me know!

Featured Image: Getty Images