The Buffalo Bills are one of only a handful of teams many believe are genuinely capable of winning the Super Bowl this upcoming season.
But some pitfalls come with that.
Given how well the team has performed in the regular season, winning at least 10+ games every year for the past six years, only to fall in the playoffs, they haven't capitalized on their chances.
And for analyst Louis Riddick, when looking at the Bills' chances in 2025, nothing the franchise does in the regular season means anything; it's when the playoffs roll around that we can judge them.
"Nobody cares what you do in the regular season in Buffalo, nobody cares," Riddick said on ESPN's GetUp. "Of course they're going to have a great regular season, they're one of the most well-coached teams in the NFL, primary players on offense and defense, but it doesn't matter. It's when you get to the playoffs, now what are you going to do?"
Jan 23, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) drops back to pass under pressure from Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Melvin Ingram (24) who stripped and sacked Allen during the first quarter in the AFC Divisional playoff football game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
(Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images)
Is that harsh? We don't think so, and Riddick also had Baltimore in the same conversation.
Both teams have shown how clinical and explosive they can be in the regular season; the offense can put up big numbers, the defense can stifle, but in the biggest moments in the postseason, they come unstuck.
So, while yes, the numbers in the regular season for Allen and Co. are great, they haven't translated into anything substantial when it matters, and that's the problem.
As Riddick says, no one cares what Buffalo does in the regular season; it could go 17-0, and it won't matter because of all the playoff failures that franchise has had.
And that is a tough spot to be in, but it's one the Bills have put themselves in due to the consistent playoff losses.