The Buffalo Bills' season feels like it is teetering on the edge, and for a 7-4 team, that might seem odd, but the offensive failures that were on show against the Houston Texans for some are alarming.
Josh Allen was sacked eight times, and his weapons simply struggled to get open, aside from Khalil Shakir. Plus, the situation with Keon Coleman has forced the Bills to sign veteran receiver Brandin Cooks to the active roster.
The 23-19 loss to the Texans was bad for head coach Sean McDermott, and as things stand, Buffalo is the seventh seed in the AFC playoff picture.
For NFL.com's Eric Edholm, in his latest power rankings, he has Buffalo clinging to its top-10 status, coming in at No. 10 after dropping three spots.
"With Buffalo at 7-4, the playoffs still feel like a strong possibility, but the way the Bills have played recently, by and large, does not resemble a team that looks poised to avenge the postseason failures of the recent past," Edholm writes. "There's still time, and Josh Allen is the ultimate equalizer, but the offense has come up short in each loss -- and it's hard to say right now that it won't happen again."
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Bills facing tough Steelers matchup
On paper, this looks like an advantageous matchup for the Bills, with Pittsburgh's defense not the elite unit we thought it would be in the offseason.
Fresh off allowing 31 points to the Chicago Bears, this could be a get-well game for the Bills, but who Allen's weapons will be remains a mystery.
Will Cooks slot straight into the team? Will Coleman come back from his two-game exile? And perhaps more importantly, can the Buffalo offensive line protect Allen better than it did in Houston?
All of those questions will be answered in due time, but this feels like a "gotta have it" game for the Bills, because the chasing pack in the race for the playoffs is coming.
After starting the season 4-0, Buffalo is now as inconsistent as they come in the NFL, but if they are to make the playoffs, McDermott's team has to develop some consistency.
Otherwise, playoffs might be missed, and that's nightmare fuel.
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