Media Mashup: Week 4 Buffalo Bills Power Rankings

The latest batch of Power Rankings are here! To say Week 4 was a nail-biter would be a drastic understatement. The Buffalo Bills dismissed the narrative that they couldn’t win one-score games, and pulled out a show-stopping second half to stun the Baltimore Ravens at the buzzer. What does the media think of our performance thus far? Here’s how we shake out in this week’s NFL Power Rankings:

NFL.com: 2nd

Author: Dan Hanzus

Last Week: 2nd

“The Bills were getting pushed around by the Ravens during what had the makings of a classic Statement Game for John Harbaugh’s lot, a blowout conquest that would change the perception of two superpowers. Then, in a manner few teams in the league can even approach, Buffalo flipped a switch. After spotting the Ravens an early 17-point lead, the Bills reeled off the final 20 points of a 23-20 win in Baltimore. Josh Allen, per usual, was the engine on offense, but Jordan Poyer was the star of this day: The safety had two interceptions, including the end-zone pick of Lamar Jackson that kept the score tied and set up Buffalo’s march to the game-winning field goal as time expired. Championship mettle by the team from Western New York.”

theScore: 3rd

Author: theScore Staff

Last Week: 3rd

“The Bills’ offense isn’t firing on all cylinders right now, but we have no doubt it’s a matter of time. The fact the defense has been so good despite injury issues in the secondary bodes well looking ahead to the playoffs.”

The Ringer: 1st

Author: Austin Gayle

Last Week: 1st

“Josh Allen is the best player in the NFL right now. After trailing the Ravens 14-3 at the start of the second quarter, Allen completed 16-of-27 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 62 yards and another score in the final three quarters of the game, helping the Bills secure a 23-20 comeback win on the road.

Allen ranks third in EPA per dropback (0.26) behind Patrick Mahomes and Tua Tagovailoa, while the Bills rank second in the NFL in total points allowed (58) and yards per play allowed (4.23). We likely won’t know if any team is better than the Bills until they travel to Arrowhead to square off against the Chiefs in Week 6.”

ESPN: 2nd

Author: ESPN Staff

Last Week: 2nd

“Defensive efficiency: 69.1 (5th)

The biggest issue on defense is … injuries.

The Bills’ defense is ranked in the top five of almost every major category — with third-down defense (41.3%, 19th) being one of few concerns. But what has also stood out is how many injuries the Bills have accumulated, especially in the secondary. Cornerback Dane Jackson and S Jordan Poyer have returned, but CB Christian Benford is still dealing with a right hand injury, S Micah Hyde (neck) is out for the season, DT Ed Oliver is recovering from a right ankle injury and CB Tre’Davious White continues to rehab a torn ACL in his left knee.” — Alaina Getzenberg

The Athletic: 2nd

Author: Bo Wulf

Last Week: 3rd

“What they are: Super Bowl favorites.”

“There’s a difference between a team like these Bills dead smack in the middle of what should be their Super Bowl window and teams that seem to arrive ahead of schedule or exceed expectations like this year’s Eagles or last year’s Bengals. For those teams, the journey is part of the fun. For the Bills, everything about the regular season sort of feels like prologue. That doesn’t mean wins like the come-from-behind thriller against the Ravens aren’t exhilarating, it just means there’s a temptation to think none of it will matter unless the Bills finish things off in January and February — and to hold your breath every week that injuries won’t keep coming. But players like Josh Allen and teams this good don’t come along often, so it’s worth trying to enjoy the ride. The Bills rank sixth in EPA per drive on offense and third in EPA per drive on defense.”

NBC Sports: 3rd

Author: Josh Schrock

Last Week: 3rd

“If you had the Bills and Josh Allen making fun of Bryson DeChambeau and LIV Golf on your bingo card for Week 4, then congratulations, you’ve won this week’s prize. (There is no prize.)”

CBS Sports: 2nd

Author: Pete Prisco

Last Week: 3rd

“That was a big-time, comeback victory against the Ravens on the road. That speaks volumes about this team.”

Sports Illustrated: 2nd

Author: Conor Orr

Last Week: 2nd

“If forced to pick between a healthy Bills and Eagles team right now, I’d still take Buffalo. The Bills’ schedule is unforgiving, and, thanks to Miami becoming an emerging power in this league, it doesn’t let up. You could argue this better suits them for the playoffs, so long as they make it there with their best players intact.”

Yahoo Sports: 1st

Author: Frank Schwab

Last Week: 1st

“The Bills weren’t at their best on Sunday, but still beat a tough Ravens team in Baltimore after falling behind 20-3. That says a lot about where they are right now. We’re still waiting to see if the Bills can be a championship team, and a win like the one they got Sunday after facing plenty of adversity starts to lay that foundation.”

USA Today: 2nd

Author: Nate Davis

Last Week: 3rd

“They failed to set a regular-season record for consecutive wins by double-digit margins, tying the existing mark of 20. Their three-point victory at Baltimore also ended a seven-game losing streak in games decided by seven points or fewer. All things considered, winning a tight one – which entailed QB Josh Allen’s first comeback from a deficit of at least 17 points – probably bodes well for these Super Bowl hopefuls down the road.”

Sporting News: 2nd

Author: Vinnie Iyer

Last Week: 2nd

“The Bills took a while to get their passing game going in rainy Baltimore before Josh Allen decided to take over with his arm and legs, pushing himself back into the MVP lead. The shorthanded pass defense also overachieved again.”

WalterFootball.com: 1st

Author: Walter Cherepinsky

Last Week: 1st

“The Bills didn’t cover in Baltimore, but credit them for charging back from a 20-3 deficit while coming off an exhausting game in Miami. Also, the Bills did a great job of adjusting to Lamar Jackson by blitzing him more often.”

Sportsnaut: 2nd

Author: Matt Johnson

Last Week: 4th

“The Buffalo Bills needed to win on Sunday. Dropping to 2-2, with two consecutive losses against playoff-caliber opponents, would have raised significant questions about a team plagued by injuries. Fortunately for the Bills, the defense stepped up in a big way and this once again looks like one of the best NFL teams right now.”

Athlon Sports: 1st

Author: Bryan Fischer

Last Week: 2nd

“It’s never good to find yourself in 17-point holes but at least for the Bills we know they’re never out of it thanks to Josh Allen’s heroics. Still, the past two weeks have done a good job of proving this team mortal and that there are a few flaws that need to be ironed out sooner rather than later.”

Power Rankings Summary

The Power Rankings still favour us, it seems. As things stand after Week 4, the Buffalo Bills hold a consensus second-place league-wide. They sit behind the Philadelphia Eagles, the lone undefeated team remaining after four weeks of play. With a tough set of games coming up, it’ll take a lot to hold our position. Here’s the breakdown:

Sample Size	First	Second	Third	Average
14	4	8	2	2nd Place

For last week’s rankings, click here, and come back next week for a fresh round of power rankings after the Buffalo Bills take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Have a “Power Rankings” that you think I should include? Reach out to @IestynTHarris on Twitter to let me know!

Featured Image: Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports