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Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills looks on during warms up prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins.
The Buffalo Bills 4-0 start to the 2025 NFL season is oddly hard to appreciate. No matter how much success Josh Allen and the Bills see in the regular season, there will be some who refuse to change their mind on this team until they see more postseason success.
For others, like one NFL writer handing out team grades for September, the Bills are deserving of praise for their strong start to the regular season.
Bills Revealed as Top-Graded Team by USA Today for September
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today revealed his league-wide team grades for September for all 32 NFL franchises on Tuesday. Needless to say, the Bills Mafia will be happy to show their parents a report card that received an ‘A’ grade from Middlehurst-Schwartz — which is the highest grade any team received for this month.
“Despite its standing as one of the league’s two remaining undefeated teams, Buffalo isn’t without fault. But it’s hard to argue with the results,” wrote Middlehurst-Schwartz. “A shapeshifting offense is mowing down all comers, averaging a league-best 0.18 expected points added per play, according to Next Gen Stats. With the ability to seamlessly toggle between Josh Allen airing it out to an array of pass catchers and turning the reins over to James Cook and the ground game, Joe Brady’s attack has the flexibility to keep opponents off balance all season.”
The Bills defense looked suspect against the Baltimore Ravens, which Middlehurst-Schwartz fairly pointed out.
“Rocky play at safety and frequent lapses in stopping the run have left some unease about the defense, which has also had trouble getting off the field on third downs (42% conversion rate allowed),” added Middleurst-Schwartz. “But Buffalo has maintained the theme of rising to the occasion ever since its stunning Week 1 rally to upend the Baltimore Ravens. It will need to continue that trend once the schedule gets tougher on the back end, but this is a team plowing a trail to a possible No. 1 seed at a time when the AFC’s other leading contenders are faltering.”
How Much Does September Success Really Matter for this Buffalo Bills Team?
September success is important for all teams in the NFL. Just ask the Baltimore Ravens how they feel after a 1-3 start. Yet, the Bills looking great in September could feel hollow to those who are still suffering from PTSD regarding this Buffalo team, with this specific quarterback, being unable to get over the hump in the postseason.
Obviously, Josh Allen and the Bills can’t play in an actual NFL playoff game for the next three months, which means that narrative won’t have the opportunity to definitively change for a while. This will see some NFL fans be outright dismissive of any success they see from the Bills team during the regular season.
Fair or not, this is the pressure that comes with a team that has Super Bowl expectations and a reigning league MVP. Despite their areas to potentially improve through September, they have responded to all adversity faced this year and found a way to enter October with a 4-0 record.
If hoisting the Lombardi Trophy is the ultimate goal, the Bills are off to a great start.
Derek Tate covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Heavy.com from 2022 to 2023. His bylines include Pro Football Network, The Athletic, Dr. Roto, Fantasy Focused and NewsNet. More about Derek Tate
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