Reverse psychology: 3 NFL postseason contenders, 2 pretenders fans won't expect
By John Buhler
NFL postseason pretender: Buffalo Bills (6-6)
This year has not gone according to plan at all for the Buffalo Bills. I hate to say it, but their Super Bowl window has been slammed shut. The days of winning the AFC are at least temporarily in the rearview mirror. Once Brian Daboll left Orchard Park to go lead the New York Giants, the offense has gotten progressively worse, resulting in Ken Dorsey being terminated mid-season in favor of one Joe Brady.
Saddled at 6-6, the Bills are three games back of the Miami Dolphins in the AFC East. Miami has run away with the division all year long. Buffalo may be better than New England or New York, but the Patriots and Jets have combined to win six games this year. They are really struggling, but so in some ways are the Bills. They still have three brutal games left to be played this season. They might go 8-9...
Buffalo still has winnable ones vs. New England and the Los Angeles Chargers, but the Bolts date is on the road. The Bills have a road game at Kansas City, followed up immediately by a home date vs. Dallas. They also end the season at Miami. The New England game at home on New Year's Eve is a gimme, but honestly by that point in the year, the Bills might already be out of it as a sub-.500 team.
There is a strong possibility that the Bills go something like 8-9 or 7-10 and the whole staff is fired.