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The Buffalo Bills’ bye week may have come at the perfect time. Buffalo, riding a two-game losing streak, was able to take the week off to reset and regroup. After the bye, help seems to be on the way. Suspensions for defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi are now over and both are expected to contribute immediately on a front that has struggled as of late. The secondary will still be shorthanded in Week 7, but a spark is not far off. First-round pick Maxwell Hairston had his 21-day practice window opened on Monday. Hairston’s athleticism alone should help. Things are not all doom and gloom in Buffalo, regardless of what you’ve seen on social media in the last week. Following the Bills’ bye week, here’s a look at where the Bills stand on power rankings. ESPN: No. 6 (Down 3) Unsung nonstarter/role player: TE Jackson Hawes Unsung may be the wrong word, as the rookie fifth-round pick has received attention for his blocking ability and what he brings to the offense, but Hawes started the season as TE3 on the depth chart. His emergence has allowed the Bills to run different formations, notably more 13 personnel (three tight ends). He has showed up in the passing game with four receptions on four targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. When asked a couple of weeks ago if Hawes has exceeded expectations, coach Sean McDermott said, “That was a good pick for us. It’s early, but that was a good pick.” Sports Illustrated: No. 7 (Down 1) At the bye week, Bills Mafia is…scouring Reddit hoping that the team signs Tyler Lockett. This was not on my bingo card a few weeks ago, though life tends to move at you fast. USA Today: No. 9 (Down 2) Yo, Mafia − might be a good time to distract Carolina QB2 Andy Dalton and start plying him anew with charitable donations. Pro Football Talk: No. 11 (No change) A reunion with the Chiefs looms. Yahoo: No. 5 (Down 1) The Bills get the Panthers, and then comes a game that might define the AFC. They host the Chiefs on Nov. 2. That’s a huge game, but before that, the Bills need to make sure they don’t look past Carolina. Bleacher Report: No. 7 (Down 1) The bye week came at a good time for the Buffalo Bills. While back-to-back losses to the Patriots and Falcons are concerning, Buffalo’s injury list—which included Terrel Bernard, DaQuan Jones, Matt Milano, Dalton Kincaid and Josh Palmer—was an even bigger issue coming out of Week 6. Buffalo needs to get back on track after a couple of mistake-filled games, but getting healthier should give the Bills a massive boost. If they can bounce back in Carolina on Sunday, they’ll regain plenty of momentum ahead of their Week 9 showdown with Kansas City.
