Halfway home, Bills in good position for a playoff run

By Connor Byrne  |   Monday, November 05, 2007  |  Comments( 35 )

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When the Buffalo Bills began the 2007 NFL season with three straight losses, it seemed as if their year was over before it really even began. Five games later, however, the Bills -- who were ravaged by various injuries to key players during their 0-3 start -- are sitting at .500, in position to make a second-half playoff push.

The Bills, who haven't made the postseason this millennium, have an uphill climb to get there this year, but it's certainly not impossible. Frankly, it seems as if the team is jelling everywhere. The offense, led by the recent big-play ability supplied by quarterback J.P. Losman, running back Marshawn Lynch and wide receiver Lee Evans, is coming together; the defense, which was supposed to be one of the league's weakest entering the season, has been phenomenal of late; and, aside from the unit's poor showing in a 33-21 win over Cincinnati last Sunday, the special teams are always something Buffalo can count on.

Of the Bills' final eight opponents, five are above .500, but they have a pair of contests against Miami, which is 0-8 and might become the league's first winless team in a 16-game season. Additionally, two of the five-win teams Buffalo will face -- Jacksonville and Washington -- seem ready to dive downward. Aside from their prime-time home game in Week 11 against the so-far-unbeatable New England Patriots, all of the Bills' remaining matchups are favorable in one way or another.

As of now, it's fair to say the Patriots, Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers will be in the playoffs. In the AFC West, no team has distinguished itself yet, which likely means a wild card won't come from that division. Indianapolis' division, the AFC South, features 5-3 Jacksonville and 6-2 Tennessee. The Titans, who nearly made the playoffs last year, have an easy schedule remaining, so odds are they'll end up in the postseason.

Therefore, for argument's sake, say one team comes from the AFC West, two emerge from the South, the Patriots lock up the East and the Steelers win the North. That's five spots; hence, one slot would remain. If the current pace continues, the sixth and final playoff position in the AFC would end up going to either the aforementioned Jaguars, Cleveland (5-3), Buffalo or the West runner-up (doubtful).

Luckily for the Bills, they face the Jags, as said earlier, and venture to Cleveland in Week 15. If Buffalo can defeat each of those teams and sweep Miami -- all of which is doable but not easy -- that would give them eight victories. More often than not, 10 wins is enough to clinch a playoff berth. Assuming that's the case, the Bills would need to collect two wins from the remaining schedule -- New England (9-0), at Washington (5-3), the New York Giants (6-2) and at Philadelphia (3-5).

When the dust settles on the regular season, chances are the Bills won't be among the AFC's playoff-bound teams. However, given all the adversity the Bills have battled back from and the progress they've shown in all three facets of the game, counting out this batch of relatively unknown underdogs isn't something that's recommended.

If nothing else, the NFL is the craziest league in professional sports. Buffalo's resurgence, after it was in a September-long coma, is proof of that.

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