ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Bills fans sat idle on Sunday while Buffalo got its rest on its bye week following a disappointing 34-31 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football the week before.
Those same fans are hoping they will have to wait for a week to see their team again when the NFL's postseason begins, hoping the Bills win the AFC's top spot and earn themselves the conference's only first-round bye.
With the Bills at rest, the AFC hierarchy still developed on Sunday. Who is a threat to the Buffalo Bills after this week?
TENNESSEE TITANS
Of course, the team that handed the Bills a loss heading into their bye week deserves a mention. The Titans put on another impressive performance on Sunday, battering the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs 27-3 in Nashville.
Tennessee once again showed how and why they caused so many problems for the Bills the previous week. They can run the ball better than any team in the league with Derrick Henry and can control the clock.
With their dominant run game, Tennessee can control the clock and limit possessions and time for Josh Allen and the Bills offense.
It also appears their defense is improving. Although Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was pulled from Sunday's game in the fourth quarter after a shot to the head, the Titans shut down Kansas City's offense, allowing just a field goal.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Although it may have been a fluke, one AFC North team has beaten the Buffalo Bills: the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1.
In the rest of the division, the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns should be a problem, but both teams have suffered some major injury issues.
Enter the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals are led by a young franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow and the possible leading candidate for rookie of the year in Ja'Marr Chase at wide receiver.
The offensive talent in Cincinnati is there, and their defense gets the job done. The Bengals have a well-rounded team, which took over first place in the AFC North after walloping the Ravens 41-17 on Sunday afternoon.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
While the Bills are enjoying their Sunday off, the Los Angeles Chargers are too. Like the Bills with Josh Allen, LA is also enjoying a young, talented quarterback.
Justin Herbert is putting up similar numbers to Josh Allen, averaging seven more yards per game in the air than the Bills quarterback so far this season.
The Chargers defense has been up and down, and they're coming off of a 34-6 loss to the Ravens in Week 6. But L.A. has a game-wrecker of a pass rusher in Joey Bosa, who has 19 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles over the Chargers first six games of the season.
The Bills saw what a player like Bosa can do to blow up their offense when Buffalo lost to a much less talented Pittsburgh team in Week 1. Linebacker T.J. Watt's abilities had a dramatic effect on that game.
Luckily for the Bills, they have the advantage of a soft schedule ahead, with the Miami Dolphins (1-6) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) on their radar for the next two weeks.