Buffalo Bills: 3 Reasons Bills are Best Sleeper Team in 2011

The Buffalo Bills came out of the gate hot yesterday, with a 41-7 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

An annual cellar dweller in the AFC East, the Bill haven't had a winning season since 2004 but all of a sudden seem poised to change that in 2011.

Here are three reasons why the Bills are the best sleeper team in the NFL.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

The product of Harvard University has been nothing but solid for the Buffalo Bills since joining the team and provides the team with stability at the quarterback position for the first time in years.

With Trent Edwards out of the picture, Fitzpatrick no longer has to look over his shoulder every time he does something wrong.

He showed what he is capable of against the Kansas City Chiefs tossing four touchdown passes on 17 of 25 passes for 208 yards. 

Since joining the Bills in 2009, Fitzpatrick has thrown for 36 touchdowns and 25 interceptions, but has improved every year. He went from a quarterback rating of 69.7 in 2009, to 81.8 in 2010 and has started the 2011 season off with a quarterback rating of 133.0.

Now having the experience and job security at the quarterback position for the Bills, look for Fitzpatrick to lead the Bills to an improved year from their 4-12 record in 2010. 

Strength of Schedule

From this point on, the Buffalo Bills play 10 of their remaining 15 games against teams who missed the playoffs in 2010.

The lack of playoff teams on the Bills schedule will play to their advantage as one the NFL's best sleeper teams in 2011.

The only playoff teams on their schedule are the Philadelphia Eagles, who they play at home, and two division rivals, the New England Patriots and New York Jets.

Games against the likes of the Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Titans will bode well for an improvement over their 4-12 record in 2010.

Revamped Defense

A Buffalo Bills defense that allowed 30+ points nine times in 2010 was able to hold a Kansas City Chief offense that was one of the best in the league last year to just seven points.

Led by safety Bryan Scott, the Bills were able to total nine tackles for a loss and two sacks on Matt Cassel in the Week 1 victory over the Chiefs.

They were able to hold one of the best backs in the league, Jamaal Charles, to just 56 yards and the team as a whole, who led the league in rushing in 2010, to 108.

The secondary, who looked much improved, was able to pick off Cassel and held him to just 119 yards on 22 of 36 passing.

If the Bills defense can keep playing the way they played against the Chiefs in Week 1, they could double their win total from 2010 this season.