The Buffalo Bills will enter the 2025 season in perhaps the best position since the early 90s to finally claim their maiden Super Bowl trophy.
And in the end? Maybe it's the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles who stand in their way.
In Buffalo ...
QB Josh Allen is the defending MVP, the offense again looks to be well-rounded with a good mix of pass-catchers and a good run game. The defense has had an overhaul of sorts with a host of key players signed in free agency, not to mention the first five picks in the NFL Draft were on defense.
The biggest bugaboo for coach Sean McDermott's team is whether or not this new-look defense can come through in the clutch, something it couldn't do last season.
Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht, and Larry Ogunjobi will all bring some nice pass rush juice ... but there has been a late-season fatal flaw ...
The Bills have allowed an average of 33.2 points per game in their last five playoff defeats. Buffalo also has shown an alarming inability to frustrate any of the quarterbacks it has faced in those contests.
We say the Bills have the talent and the quarterback to eventually reach and win the Super Bowl. We say that if it's Philly emerging from the NFC, the Bills can stand toe to toe with them.
After all ...
The offense is set, and we know that Allen and his pals can win a track meet. If you score 29 points in an AFC Championship Game, generally speaking, you win that game.
But, alas, Buffalo conceded 32 to the Kansas City Chiefs - and KC went to the Super Bowl, where they were dismantled by Philly.
If Buffalo is to be the one that can dethrone the Eagles, then the defense is going to have to do something it hasn't done in the last handful of playoff outings: show up and get the offense off the field.
This Bills team has a good a chance as any to be the 2025 Super Bowl champs. ... and maybe to take on the Eagles in The Big Game to prove their worthiness.