Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leads the team during warmups before a preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Examining Bills' questionable ranking in NFL Power Poll

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ronnie Eastham | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 8:56 PM ET

NFL power rankings in September are about as useful as the preseason College Football polls. Actually, probably less so, but that won't stop fans from taking an interest in the rankings and debating why their team is better than the others and should be ranked higher.

So, here we are discussing the latest NFL power poll, where The Athletic's Josh Kendall ranked the Buffalo Bills at No. 4 overall, with the Kansas City Chiefs right behind them at No. 5. The top three ahead of the Bills were the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and Green Bay Packers.

Why Bills should rank ahead of Ravens in Week 1

Did Kendall get it right? Should the Bills be ranked ahead of the Ravens, or maybe the Chiefs, given they are the defending AFC champions? What about Green Bay? Why would the Packers be ranked ahead of the Bills, or the Chiefs, for that matter?

Where are the Lions, and why aren't they in the Top 5? They are sixth, in case you were curious. There should be a Detroit Lions Top 5 debate, but let's get back to the Bills.

Buffalo’s quiet preseason

Here is what Kendall said about the Bills. "Buffalo had a dream preseason for a Super Bowl contender: Nothing happened. Coming off his first MVP award, Josh Allen sat out all three preseason games, and running back James Cook signed a new deal after a civil hold-in process. Most everyone stayed healthy. Mitch Trubisky won the backup quarterback job. Now, let’s see how things go against the Ravens on Sunday night."

Backup QBs and red herrings

It seems odd to bring up the backup quarterback job when analyzing a team to compare to other teams. Maybe the Bills' secondary is a bigger issue than who won the backup job. Maybe who will step up on the Bills' defensive front is more important than who won the backup quarterback position, because if this season comes down to Trubisky, that means Josh Allen was injured, and the season is essentially over.