Buffalo Bills put NFL on notice with thrashing of Seahawks

The Buffalo Bills rebounded from recent struggles with a statement Week 9 win.

Josh Allen was in the thick of the MVP race, the Buffalo Bills were sitting at 4-0 and the team looked like a viable contender. Prior to being forced to play on Tuesday in Week 5 against the Titans, things were looking up in a major way for the fans in Orchard Park. But then a switch flipped and in the worst possible way.

After that hot start, the wheels seemingly started to come off. Buffalo got blown out by Tennessee, couldn’t hang with Kansas City and then barely beat two inferior divisional opponents in the Jets and Patriots. Amid that, Allen regressed from his early-season form while the defense continued to look troublesome.

So as the Bills entered a Week 9 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks at home, the game had the feeling of a turning point for Buffalo. A win would put Buffalo firmly in the tier of contenders while a loss would only raise further questions about the team moving forward. They delivered on the former in a major way.

In a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the 44-34 final score would indicate, the Buffalo Bills played their most complete game of the season. Allen was lights-out as a passer and situational runner while the defense cause Russell Wilson and an elite offense a ton of issues prior to garbage time late in the fourth quarter.

This version of the Buffalo Bills is an undeniable NFL contender.

Allen was phenomenal on Sunday, regaining his form from the start of the season. The third-year quarterback completed 31-of-38 passes for 415 yards and three touchdowns, all to different receivers, while rushing for another score. That alone puts the Bills in a different conversation than they’d been in after their 2-2 skid.

But what was most impressive was the defensive effort. Yes, Wilson ended the day with 390 passing yards and two touchdowns but at least half of that came when the Bills were already comfortably ahead. Buffalo forced four turnovers, including a pick and fumble recovery from cornerback Tre’Davious White. Moreover, they held the Seahawks to a paltry 3.4 yards per carry, even if they scored twice on the ground.

This is one of the league’s best offenses that came to Orchard Park on Sunday. And with the paltry performance of the Buffalo defense this season, you would’ve guessed that Wilson and the Seahawks would’ve had their way. Instead, Sean McDermott‘s team reached down deep for their guts and delivered their best performance of the year.

While there may be cause for some trepidation given their struggles over the previous four-game stretch, this game showed the ceiling of the Buffalo Bills. Allen playing at this level and the defense recapturing some magic not only makes this team the heavy favorite to win the AFC East but a legitimate threat to make a Super Bowl run.