Buffalo Bills: A quick update on the national power rankings in Week 15

Another week brought another loss for the Buffalo Bills. We take a quick look at some national power rankings as we enter Week 15.

The Buffalo Bills didn’t enter the year as realistic playoff contenders. Instead, the team was ranked in the bottom third of the NFL, at least in national power rankings.

That is where the team remains today, which is to be expected with a 4-9 record.

ESPN.com has the Bills ranked No. 28 overall, which is the exact same spot the team was in a week ago. NFL.com has the team up at No. 25 overall, down two spots from last week. No real surprises here.

I’ll be completely honest and admit that I held out slim playoff hopes just a few weeks ago when the Bills were heading to Miami. It wasn’t that I expected the Bills to morph into a dominant contender, but a win in Miami followed by one over the Jets this past Sunday seemed likely.

That would have had the Bills at 6-7 and right in the playoff hunt. Instead, the team played at the level of a No. 28 or No. 25 overall team in the league and couldn’t pick up the big wins. Or rather couldn’t finish in games that should have been won.

That is what most expected this year and while the losses are frustrating, it was all part of Brandon Beane’s plan. The fact the Bills have been close the past few weeks doesn’t mean everyone should be all cheerful when the final result is a loss, but it means the team will enter 2019 with the realistic chance to turn those close finishes into victories.

Adding a few playmakers and giving Josh Allen the opportunity to prepare the whole offseason as the starter should result in some great early returns next season. For now, we continue to watch for positive development.