These Two Stats Should Give Buffalo Bills Fans Hope

The Buffalo Bills are 6-3.  A record that many people feel is underwhelming.  But when you look at who they've played, it's actually pretty impressive.

We are 10 weeks into the NFL season. The Bills have played 9 games and already had their bye week.  They've won 6 of those games.  It's a number that many fans are pretty upset about.  Just 6?  When this season started, there were a lot of people who were wondering if anyone could beat them at all.

However, there are two stats that should make fans feel a little bit better.  The first one is what they call the Bills' Strength of Schedule.

What does this tell us?

Well, a team could be 8-1 (like the Philadelphia Eagles) but who have they beaten?  The teams that they've taken out aren't necessarily knocking anyone else out either.  If you look, the Eagles are 24th on this list.  It means that their opponents are losing to just about everyone.

But look where the Bills are!  They're second on this list.  It means that they've played more good teams than anyone except the Detroit Lions (who we get to play next week on Thanksgiving).

The second stat that should make Bills fans feel better about the second half of the season is that in the 3 games that they have lost, they've only lost by a combined 8 points.  This means the games that they've lost have all been super close.

It doesn't mean that the season is going to get easier by any means.  They still have to learn to put games away when they're close.  They were able to do it against the Ravens and the Chiefs.  But it also means that they've made it through the second toughest schedule in the NFL and have found a way to have a winning record even through some huge injuries.

According to Eat Drink and Sleep Football, it should lighten up too.  The final 7 weeks show a strength of schedule rating closer to the middle of the pack (#17 through 10 weeks).

Don't panic Buffalo.  This season is far from over.