Bills Disrespected in Post-Schedule Release NFL Power Rankings

New Bills head coach Joe Brady talks about some of his vision as coach at the Bills field house in Orchard Park. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bills Disrespected in Post-Schedule Release NFL Power Rankings

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI | By Randy Gurzi | Last updated May 17, 2026 7:43 PM ET

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After making several changes to their coaching staff this offseason, the Buffalo Bills believe they've done enough to get through the playoff wall they continue to run into.

Despite leading them to the second-most wins of any coach in franchise history, Sean McDermott was often viewed as rigid and inflexible, which led to his dismissal. Buffalo's front office believes Joe Brady will be a breath of fresh air and help Josh Allen finally lead the team to a Super Bowl.

The Bills aren't putting everything on Allen's shoulders, however, as they decided to make some changes on defense as well. Jim Leonhard was hired as the defensive coordinator after spending the past two seasons coaching defensive backs with the Denver Broncos. Leonhard is expected to bring a more aggressive defense and has a few new players to work with, led by outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Despite these moves, FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano doesn't see the Bills as the top team in the AFC. In his post-schedule release power rankings, Vacchiano has Buffalo ranked sixth overall, saying they have a tough schedule to deal with that could impact their standings in 2026.

"It’s bad enough that their schedule includes the AFC West and NFC North, but they have to play at New England, Green Bay and Denver in December. The bright side is they will be very battle-tested for the playoffs."

It's hard to argue with his logic, especially with a brutal five-week stretch that we recently identified as a make-or-break portion of the season. What we can argue with is a couple of the teams that landed ahead of the Bills.

Why the Bills ranking is head-scratching

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The most confusing is the Baltimore Ravens, who went 8-9 in 2025 and were defeated by the Bills in Week 1 . For those who might say there are unknowns in Buffalo due to the head coaching change, the same is true in Baltimore after the Ravens moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons.

Jesse Minter does have ties to Baltimore, which could help his transition, but the same is true for Brady who has been with Buffalo since 2023. The Ravens are also coming off an 8-9 season, compared to a 12-5 record for the Bills.

That record is also better than the Philadelphia Eagles, who were 11-6 in 2025, and went 3-4 down the stretch before losing in the opening round of the playoffs. The Eagles have also had questions surrounding their starting quarterback, Jalen Hurts, and lost a key assistant in Christian Parker. Throw in the drama surrounding A.J. Brown and it's hard to see how they finish two spots ahead of the Bills.

In the end, these rankings are nothing more than a talking point, but it shows the Bills still aren't getting the respect they should be.

This article first appeared on Buffalo Bills on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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