Having a 12-5 season would be good for just about any team, but for one, it was a disappointment. Such is life when you are a perennial Super Bowl contender. Such is life when you are the Buffalo Bills.
With the NFL Draft approaching, the Bills have decisions to make to improve on both sides of the ball. With the moves that they have made so far, the Bills are more than ready to return as contenders. In fact, there are a few reasons why they should be favorites to capture the AFC East crown once again.
3 reasons to believe Buffalo Bills are still the standard bearer in the AFC East in 2026
1. Bills Have a Josh Allen
Josh Allen is the ultimate x-factor. He is setting new records all the time and is among the greatest statistical performers in NFL playoff history. He has more than pulled his weight since being drafted in 2018, at times carrying the Bills on his back.
Allen has had the kind of development that simply does not happen: a strong-armed gunslinger with accuracy issues who has become one of the most efficient signal callers in the game.
So long as the Bills have a healthy Josh Allen – and he was not down the stretch and into the playoffs – they have a chance. He has the ability to make the kind of plays that only a handful of others can. Regardless of the pieces around him, he will elevate the offense and put them in a position to win more games than they otherwise should.
2. The Offense Has All the Pieces to Be Dominant
For all the talk about Allen needing more help, he already has plenty of it. Sure, the receiver room still has space for improvement even in the wake of the D.J. Moore trade. That said, it won’t take much of a change for the unit to be better in 2026.
Those issues aside, the Bills have one of the best running backs in the league in James Cook, not to mention an elite offensive line. Gone is guard David Edwards, but the other four pieces remain intact. Cook is the reigning rushing champion and takes significant pressure off Allen.
With Joe Brady elevated to the role of head coach, there will be every opportunity for the offense to become more well-balanced. Even with all its issues, the Bills were second in the league in total touchdowns and led with 30 on the ground. A few more through the air, and the Bills could be even more dangerous.
3. Regression to the Mean for the Patriots
Though Patriots fans will argue against it, their team played one of the easiest schedules in the history of the league. Their opponents combined for just a .391 win percentage, the lowest for any team since the 1999 season. They also faced a plethora of questionable quarterbacks en route to the Super Bowl.
Based on 2025 opponent win percentages, the Patriots face the 6th-toughest schedule in the NFL. The Bills play the 8th-toughest schedule, but have proven the ability to navigate a brutal schedule with their efforts during 2025.
Will quarterback Drake Maye be an MVP-level player against tougher teams? That remains to be seen. The Bills have no such question marks about their MVP-level quarterback and know that they can beat anyone at any time. The Patriots, meanwhile, will face a “prove it” year in 2026.
More Than the Division
While it would be nice to win the division crown for the sixth time in seven years, that isn’t the ultimate goal for the Bills. They are squarely in “Super Bowl or bust” territory for as long as Allen is in his prime.
Winning the division would be a nice stepping stone and should be the short-term goal. Besides, Bills fans would certainly love to put the Patriots back in their place after such a short turnaround from rebuild to contention.