Bills Continue Rising in NFL Power Rankings After 2-0 Start

Sports admin September 22, 2026 0 Comments

Bills Continue Rising in NFL Power Rankings After 2-0 Start

The Buffalo Bills are quickly establishing themselves as one of the NFL’s elite teams.

After opening the 2026 season with back-to-back victories, Buffalo sits near the top of several major Week 3 power rankings. The Bills improved to 2-0 with a 41-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football, and their explosive offense has become one of the biggest reasons analysts are buying stock into Buffalo early in the season.

Here is where the Bills stand across three major NFL power rankings.

Bills near the top across the NFL

NFL.com ranks Buffalo No. 2 overall, keeping the Bills behind only the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. The rankings notes that Buffalo’s offense has become more diverse and explosive under head coach Joe Brady, who was promoted from offensive coordinator this offseason.

Josh Allen has also played at an MVP-caliber level through two games. The outlet also noted that the Bills’ only major concern is whether their defense can consistently match the level of the offense.

ESPN went one step further, ranking Buffalo No. 1 in the NFL entering Week 3. The Bills remained atop ESPN’s rankings following their win over Detroit, with Allen receiving significant attention for his play through two games.

CBS Sports’ Pete Prescott also has Buffalo No. 2, behind Seattle. Prisco wrote that Allen is off to an MVP-level start while acknowledging that Buffalo’s defense still needs to improve.

Josh Allen has Buffalo looking like juggernaut

The biggest common denominator in the Bills’ high rankings is Allen.

Through two games, the star quarterback has shown the ability to beat defense both through the air and on the ground. ESPN noted that Allen is averaging a career-best 9.7 yards per attempt while producing three touchdowns on throws of at least 20 air yards. He’s also rushed for 92 yards, with 70 of those yards coming on just six scrambles.

That combination has made Buffalo’s offense difficult to defend through two games. NFL.com described the unit as an “incredible diverse, efficient and explosive attack” through the first two weeks of the season.

The Bills’ 41 point performance against Detroit only strengthened that perception. Buffalo scored 41 points despite the Lions entering the game with a dangerous offense of their own.

Defense remains the biggest question

While Buffalo’s offense is receiving plenty of praise, all three rankings points toward the defense as the area that could determine just how high the Bills can climb.

NFL.com specifically said it would more Buffalo to No. 1 if it trusted the defense more. Prisco made a similar observation, writing that the defense “does need to be better.”

That’s the biggest storyline heading into Week 3. Buffalo has already demonstrated that it can score with virtually anyone, but the defense will need to become more consistent if the Bills are going to maintain their positions among the league’s top teams.

For now, though, the message from the national rankings is clear: Buffalo is 2-0, Josh Allen is playing at an MVP level, and the Bills are firmly in the NFL’s elite tier.

This story was originally published September 22, 2026 at 1:16 PM.