The Buffalo Bills entered the 2025 season under the most pressure. After years of playoff failure, 2025 was supposed to be the year things changed.
Josh Allen was the MVP, and the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals didn't make the playoffs. The door was open for Josh Allen and the Bills. They just had to walk through it.
But they couldn't, dumped out by the Denver Broncos in the divisional round.
But will things be better in 2026?
For CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo, in ranking teams eliminated from the playoffs, who could make the Super Bowl in 2026, out of 12 teams, Buffalo comes in at No. 5.
"Before Bills Mafia floods my inbox, I'd like to mention that I think Buffalo will can make a Super Bowl run in 2026," DeArdo wrote. "It's just anything but a sure thing. Buffalo will have a new coach after the surprising firing of Sean McDermott despite his glittering record that includes a 72-27 mark since 2020.
"Adding to odds of Buffalo missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018 is the fact that it will face seven teams that made the playoffs this year and will also face two teams (the Vikings and Lions) that went 9-8."
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Bills can't miss the playoffs, can they?
In fairness, prior to Week 1, no one thought either the Chiefs or the Ravens would miss the postseason. Both did.
So, anything is possible, especially when you factor in Lady Luck and the injury gods.
So much is put on Allen's shoulders that this offseason work has to be done to take some or most of it off of No. 17.
We know that teams are just one quarterback injury away from seeing their season go down the drain, so the Bills have to do their best to protect Allen.
Not to mention having a new head coach, likely a different offensive coordinator, and the fact that the New England Patriots aren't going anywhere, things might once again be tough for Buffalo.
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