The Buffalo Bills had quite a year.
They entered the year as one of the early favorites in a tougher-than-ever AFC, but it wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be. Heading into their bye week in Week 13, the Bills were 6–6 and looked to be self-destructing. Yet, they managed to turn it around, win their final five games — including a massive win over Miami — and win the AFC East.
They clinched the No. 2 seed and head into the playoffs on a high.
The AFC East Was a Tough Division All Year
How did the Bills manage to pull it all off?
The AFC East was the division to watch heading into 2023 — and it was clear why. It was packed with teams that could easily find success in different ways. The New England Patriots were always dangerous in the East, and betting against Bill Belichick is a scary thing to do.
There was also tons of chatter surrounding the New York Jets and their brand-new starting QB, Aaron Rodgers. As shown on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” the team was poised and ready to be successful, with a new identity and energy that had not been seen in a long time. Then there were the Miami Dolphins.
It was the Dolphins’ second year under head coach Mike McDaniel, and fans were anxious to see the relationship he and QB Tua Tagovailoa had built together. Throw in rookie sensation De’Von Achane, and it was hard not to get behind the Dolphins.
The Bills didn’t enter the season with a flashy new RB or a brand new QB, but they did enter it with the same old work ethic that fans have seen for several years. As the Bills Mafia would tell you: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
But it did break, at least for a while, when the season started. The Patriots did not look like the New England of old; we all know what happened to Rodgers and the Jets, and the Dolphins looked to swim away with the division. Until they didn’t.
Miami Dolphins Fall from Grace
The big change for the Bills looked to happen after an especially humiliating loss to Denver in Week 10. After the game, they fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and named quarterbacks coach Joe Brady as his interim replacement. After that switch, the Bills only lost one more game in 2023.
But it wasn’t just the Bills winning that got them into the playoffs — it was almost a total collapse from the Dolphins that paved the way for Buffalo to win the division.
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Miami lost three of their last five games, including an epic meltdown against the Tennessee Titans. They quickly conceded two TDs and a two-point conversion in the final four minutes of the game, allowing Will Levis and his squad to leave the field victorious.
McDaniel spoke about the collapse. “It’s a humbling game, and you think that you’re a good football team, but then every week, you have to prove that on the field, and you can’t take anything for granted.”
With Buffalo beating Miami in the final week of the regular season, they get to host the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Dolphins are traveling to Arrowhead to play the Chiefs, and it is forecasted to be negative five degrees come game time.
That will put a smile on the face of Bills Mafia.
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