Run defense problems, receivers failing to get open and dropping passes, and slow starts define the Bills as they prepare for the postseason.
The Buffalo Bills have clinched a playoff spot, and with that box checked, the conversation around this team has finally changed.
This is no longer about chasing wins just to stay alive or watching the standings every Sunday night. Buffalo knows it will be playing in January. The remaining regular season games now serve a different purpose. They are about understanding exactly who this team is before the margin for error disappears.
The Bills are good, but they're also flawed.
What the past few weeks have revealed is not a team unraveling, but one that has settled into a familiar pattern. The run defense remains inconsistent. Opponents continue to move the ball early, especially on opening drives, forcing Buffalo to play from behind or at least on uneven footing. Missed tackles and poor gap discipline have turned manageable situations into extended possessions, and that has placed unnecessary strain on the rest of the defense.
Those early struggles often spill over into how the game feels. When the Bills start slowly, everything becomes heavier. Drives feel longer, and each possession feels more important. Even when the comeback comes, the path is narrow.
On offense, the reliance on Josh Allen remains unmistakable. When things break down, the solution is still the same. Put the ball in Allen’s hands and trust him to create something. He's capable of doing that, and few quarterbacks in the league are better equipped to shoulder that responsibility. But asking him to be the answer every time increases the risk when the opponent is strong enough to keep pace.
The wide receiver issues have only reinforced that reality. Outside of the most trusted options, consistency has been hard to find. Drops have extended games longer than they should while missed opportunities have stalled drives that could have flipped momentum earlier. Even players who have earned confidence have had moments where execution slipped at the worst possible time.
What keeps the Bills dangerous is their ability to adjust. Few teams are better after halftime. When Buffalo is within a possession or two at the break, there is a genuine belief that the game can be controlled. That confidence is backed by results, and it has rescued them more than once. Still, relying on second half corrections assumes the deficit remains manageable and that the opponent does not land a knockout blow early.
The path forward is not complicated. Faster starts would change everything. Playing from ahead limits what opponents can do, forces them out of the run game, and creates opportunities for the defense to dictate terms. When Buffalo controls tempo, the entire roster looks more balanced and the game slows down in their favor.
Clinching a playoff spot allows for honesty. The Bills don't need to reinvent themselves over the final stretch. They need to understand their margins and manage them. They are capable of beating anyone in the AFC. They are also capable of letting games linger longer than they should and losing them.
That tension defines who they are right now. If the Bills are going to make a run in January, it won't be because every issue suddenly disappears. It'll be because they understand those issues, survive them, and find a way to win anyway.