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Buffalo Bills: Preseason power rankings are not our friend

By Connor Price

ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Maintenence crews repair the field due to inclement weather at halftime of the game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers at New Era Field on December 11, 2016 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Maintenence crews repair the field due to inclement weather at halftime of the game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers at New Era Field on December 11, 2016 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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The consensus of preseason power rankings have been not-so-polite to the Buffalo Bills

Enter mid-July. Hundreds of sports media websites have posted their power rankings for the upcoming season. Green Bay and New England at the top, Cleveland, and New York at the bottom, what else is new?

In the latest power rankings released by USA Today, the 32 NFL teams were split up into tears including Super Bowl favorites, Super Bowl contenders, playoff contenders, and so on an so forth.

The Buffalo Bills fell in the “mediocre” category, or the 5th of 6 categories.

Here is how the rest of the AFC fared in these rankings:

  • New England Patriots: Super Bowl Favorites
  • Miami Dolphins: Playoff Contenders
  • New York Jets: Now on the Clock

Don’t fall victim to the power rankings BillsMafia. The consensus on USA Today was that coach, Sean McDermott needs one year then the Bills will be ready.

Venture outside of upstate New York, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find much Buffalo Bills optimism.

With a core of young skill position players and Doug Whaley relieved, this team has much room to grow.

Are you sick of talking about power rankings yet?

One AFC team ranked team that surprises me are the Houston Texans. Most power rankings have them listed inside the top-10, sometimes top-8. It seems they initiated a popular method of rebuild, and the Browns are following suit.

Their defense has been bolstered and is now a top defense in the league even without JJ Watt. Yeah, you heard that right. Houston invested top draft picks and free agent signings in their defense before they finally have the draft where they load up on offensive standouts (see Deshaun Watson, and D’Onta Foreman).

The Cleveland Browns just invested in their rising defense, selecting edge defender, Myles Garrett, and safety, Jabrill Peppers. The team neglected the quarterback position in the draft because of the uncertainty of the rest of the team. That is the smartest move I have seen the team take in years. One more year, one more draft, one more quarterback, and the Browns could be almost a playoff contender in this league.

This is a blueprint I would not mind seeing the Bills follow in the future if Tyrod Taylor doesn’t work out. Let’s be real, Taylor is their quarterback of the future and they will be building aroundd his talents for the next few seasons. Buffalo selected cornerback, Tre’Davious White, in the first round, and wide receiver, Zay Jones, in the second.

It is a confusing time for the Bills because of the state they’re currently in. Do they add free agents to make a push for the future? Or do they start the rebuild following the 17th straight season of January vacation?

The frustration is growing for Buffalo Bills fans across the nation. Maybe glaze over the power rankings when you come across them next time.

Next: Top 5 reasons to make fun of the Miami Dolphins

What do you think of USA Today’s power rankings? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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