After the first four weeks, everything was sweet for the Buffalo Bills: a 4-0 record, strong Super Bowl contenders, and Josh Allen positioned as a frontrunner for NFL MVP for the second consecutive year. However, two weeks later, the situation has completely changed.
The Buffalo Bills struggled in primetime, both on Sunday Night Football in Week 5 and Monday Night Football in Week 6. First, they fell to the New England Patriots in a game where Allen threw an interception and lost a fumble. In the following matchup against the Falcons, Allen was intercepted twice.
Criticism was immediate, especially since the teams the Bills defeated earlier this season-Ravens (1-5), Jets (0-6), Dolphins (1-5), and Saints (1-5)-have a combined total of just three wins. Buffalo remains the top contender in the AFC East, but the Patriots have been improving each week and now share the same 4-2 record as the Bills.
Patrick Mahomes emerges as the new MVP favorite
Since 2019, the Buffalo Bills have reached the playoffs every season, always led by Josh Allen. However, they have struggled to advance in those postseason games, often encountering a common obstacle: Patrick Mahomes. Allen has an 0-4 record against Mahomes in January, including 0-2 in conference finals-he simply has not been able to overcome the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback.
In the current 2025 season, Josh Allen started strong, but Patrick Mahomes has been simply outstanding. Following his dominant performance against the Detroit Lions, Mahomes has risen as the leading favorite in sportsbooks to win MVP, while Josh Allen has dropped to second place, and Baker Mayfield sits third, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
On Sunday Night Football, Mahomes delivered an impressive display with four touchdowns-three passing and one rushing-against the Lions, who are strong NFC contenders. This season, Mahomes has 1,514 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and a QBR of 76.1 (4th in the league).
There is no doubt that despite some early-season doubts, the Kansas City Chiefs-and especially Patrick Mahomes-have made a statement and are poised to compete for everything in the AFC. Analyst Colin Cowherd highlighted the situation regarding Andy Reid’s squad: “Everybody’s worst nightmare is now official: The Kansas City Chiefs once again are the best team in professional football.”
Read the full article here
