Buffalo Bills: Why the Upstart Bills Aren't as Good as We Thought They Were

After beating the Kansas City Chiefs into the Arrowhead grass, after coming back from the dead against Oakland and New England and after beating the Patriots for the first time in 16 tries, the Buffalo Bills looked like legitimate AFC East contenders. They led the division, after all.

But after finding a way to force four Tom Brady interceptions and claw out of a 21-0 hole against a team that had owned them for more than seven seasons, the Bills found a way to return the favor against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Leading 17-3 at the half, the Bills held a solid lead, and although they had been far less impressive in the first half of this game than the second half of their last, they seemed to be well on their way to 4-0.

Then it all unraveled. Ryan Fitzpatrick's impeccable second-half play and penchant for clutch passes lapsed, and the Buffalo found, for the first time this season, that they couldn't lean on their ground game. Fred Jackson was held to a season-low 98 total yards, and the Bills managed fewer than 300 on the day.

This Buffalo team hasn't changed overnight, however. Teams don't beat the New Englands and Oaklands of this league in consecutive come-from-behind weeks without possessing at least a little staying power. The Bills aren't the first team to suffer a hangover after an emotional win.

The Baltimore Ravens came out flat against the Tennessee Titans following a stomping of Pittsburgh. No one seems to be writing them off as frauds, even though their wins over the Steelers and the St. Louis Rams are less impressive than Buffalo's victories over the Pats and Raiders. 

Of course, the Ravens have been winning longer, and their predicted power has been vouched for by their past successes. That's something Buffalo can't claim.

If the Bills were viewed as instant Super Bowl contenders or at least destined for a first-round bye because they started 3-0, then maybe they weren't as good as advertised, but did anyone really think that?

Their W column held some flashy names, and they'd refused denial in the second half as well as any team in the league, but three wins in a 16-game season don't carry substantial weight.

Buffalo's a good team, and they've proven that their plucky solutions to what were thought to be glaring problems can piece together some nice wins. They'll continue to be a tough out for everyone they face, and they're not done riding the underdog role to some surprisingly effective results, but this team isn't ready to be a Super Bowl contender. Not yet. 

The playoffs are still a possibility, and a winning record feels close, but unrealistic expectations and an anomalous loss to the Bengals shouldn't sway their reputation too far either way. The Bills are a solid team moving in the right direction. 

They're exactly as good as we thought they were.