It’s been over 30 years since the Buffalo Bills have won the AFC and advanced to the Super Bowl, but they’ve come incredibly close during that span. We don’t need to rehash all of the heart-wrenching moments, but this is a franchise that has been just a play or two away for the last several years.
But this year feels different. The Bills have one of the best rosters in the NFL, and their offseason approach indicates that they believe the time is now. The addition of Joey Bosa along with several other big-name players should help this team get over the hump.
And it’s not just Bills fans who are saying it. The national media is starting to believe that this is finally the year for Buffalo. In a recent article by Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about why the Bills are one of the top Super Bowl favorites this season. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on Buffalo going into the 2025 season:
"A potent offense and a promising young defense — both of which return their coordinators — give Sean McDermott’s squad a solid foundation to build on. Faced with one of the easier projected strengths of schedule, the Bills have a golden opportunity to take advantage."Mason Cameron, Pro Football Focus
Continuity and a more manageable schedule should help the Bills reach 12+ wins again this season. If they can earn the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye, it’s hard to envision anyone beating Buffalo in the postseason with this new-and-improved roster.
But if Buffalo is finally going to get over the hump, their defense will need to step up. Too many times, the defense has allowed 27+ points in playoff games and it’s just too much to ask of Josh Allen to be perfect. And that’s why Buffalo clearly wanted to address their defense this offseason via free agency and trade.
In that same article from Pro Football Focus, Cameron wrote about the improvements on defense and what that might mean for the unit moving forward. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on that side of the ball:
"The real draw to this defense may come from the rookie class, with six of the Bills' nine draft picks used on that side of the ball. Headlining the class is Maxwell Hairston, a cornerback with ample athleticism who will start across Christian Benford and aim to boost the team’s most glaring weakness. Buffalo ranked just 31st in team PFF coverage grade (37.7) in 2024."Mason Cameron, Pro Football Focus
Buffalo doesn’t need Hairston and T.J. Sanders to be superstars in Year 1, but they could use more solid contributors and depth. And that’s the hope for both players as rookies. If they can fill depth spots at cornerback and defensive tackle, maybe that will be enough to stop Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the postseason.
Maybe those players, combined with the additions of Bosa, Larry Ogunjobi, and Landon Jackson, will be enough to get one or two more stops than usual. And if that’s the case, this could be the year they finally make it back to the final game.
The Bills have everything a championship team needs. They have a superstar quarterback capable of elevating the play of everyone around him. And now, they finally might have the defense that can support their quarterback and make him feel like he doesn’t need to do it all by himself. Buffalo is officially ready to take the next step.