Fan confidence down after Jets loss, Allen injury

Things won’t get any easier this week against the Minnesota Vikings

The results are in, and boy, that de-escalated quickly! Buffalo Bills fans have spoken, and this week’s story isn’t full of universal praise for the work that head coach Sean McDermott and the rest of the coaching staff have recently put on the field. Let’s review the figures from three of this week’s Bills-related polls.

Bills Mafia fan confidence nosedives

Following the Bills’ Week 9 loss to the New York Jets, we asked Bills Mafia how confident they were in the direction of the team. What had been a stable 98% approval rating dropped precipitously to 67% before the sickly sweet scent of jet fuel had even worn off from the flight home.

It was expected to drop, especially when news about the Josh Allen elbow injury began making the rounds. But it’s also important to stop and think about the opponent the Bills just lost to last Sunday. While seemingly not on the same level as Buffalo, the Jets are building toward something great, and they represent a very dangerous foe that the Bills may continue to match up poorly against if things remain status quo at One Bills Drive.

The Bills could use a get-right game, but things don’t get any easier in Week 10, with the Minnesota Vikings ferrying to Highmark Stadium and Buffalo dealing with a very littered injury report.

Will the Bills win the AFC East in 2022?

This week, we asked the fan base if they believe the Bills will still win the AFC East. In what may appear like an against-the-grain response based on confidence ratings, 74% of respondents believe the Bills will win the AFC East.

If they’re going to do so, they’ll need to change course and perhaps win all their remaining games against AFC East opponents. While Buffalo has won the past two division titles, the Jets and Miami Dolphins are bubbling toward the top, and the New England Patriots can of course be a problem. Even more challenging is the fact that all four teams in the division boast winning records. Wins are hard to come by in the NFL, and the Bills are going to need to stack them later this season.

Josh Allen in a dogfight to win 2022 NFL MVP

Prior to his recent slump, Allen was the talk of the NFL world, and the league’s likely MVP-in-waiting. But the NFL is a week-to-week league and, unfortunately, Allen has strung together six quarters of pretty poor play. He continues to run the ball at a torrid pace as the team’s leading rusher. But that’s not the sort of success that will carry him to his first NFL MVP. According to those who voted, Allen is no longer the favorite to win the 2022 MVP. He sits at 21%, tied with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and behind Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (26%).

The separation is minimal, but Hurts and Mahomes are putting together seasons that Allen may struggle to compete with, should his injury keep him sidelined multiple weeks. Allen is more than capable of turning the league on its ear, as evidenced by his late-season play in 2021. More than an MVP is at stake with regards to Allen, and the team will need him to be at his best during the home stretch of the season.

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