Just a few weeks ago, the Buffalo Bills’ path to an AFC East title seemed inevitable; now, after a humbling loss to Miami, that path is crumbling. Their latest defeat to the Miami Dolphins exposed some issues for Josh Allen. This has now led to a former Bills quarterback losing faith in their final standings.

“I went from Bills are going to win the AFC East this last week to doing ‘what’s the rest of their schedule? Are they going to finish 10-7?” Ryan Fitzpatrick said on Fitz and Whit. “I know they have four home games left, so I’m feeling good about that. As long as they get into the playoffs, we are going to be just fine. They’re going to figure it out. Josh Allen is the man. I’m not sure about the division anymore.”

Fitzpatrick’s words sounded a loss of faith from his initial optimism. While he expects a playoff finish, he’s not holding out on hopes for a division win from QB Josh Allen and coach Sean McDermott.

The Buffalo Bills are indeed thriving at home this season. With four wins and one loss under their belt at Highmark Stadium, their offense looks dialed in. Next up on the home slate are four relatively simple games against the likes of the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets. That lineup gives Buffalo a clear opportunity. The Bills know their crowd and conditions well. 

A recent home loss to the Patriots does make things difficult for the Bills to go atop the table again. At the moment, the Patriots have been handed control over the AFC East, standing 8-2. The Bills’ recent loss to Miami exposed some serious offensive issues that caused trouble during the away games.

Buffalo Bills’ offensive collapse against the Dolphins

The Bills’ latest outing against the Miami Dolphins exposed everything that has gone wrong with their offense this season. Despite Josh Allen throwing for 306 yards and two touchdowns, Buffalo could only manage 13 points in a 30-13 defeat that never truly felt close. The Dolphins’ defense went after the Bills’ rhythm, leaving Allen and his receivers searching for answers.

“We’ve got to have better energy, and they came out flying and we just didn’t answer the call right away,” wide receiver Khalil Shakir told ESPN after the game.

Shakir is still Allen’s most reliable target; on a day when the offense struggled for 90 yards in the first half, he led Buffalo in catches, yards, and targets with seven receptions on nine targets for 58 yards. His 77.8% catch percentage demonstrated why he is one of the few guys Allen entrusts.

The Bills never looked in control. Despite holding possession for over 31 minutes, Buffalo managed just 5.8 yards per play and failed to find the end zone until the fourth quarter. Their ground game was virtually nonexistent, putting up only 87 rushing yards compared to Miami’s 197. The Dolphins dictated the tempo from start to finish, exposing the Bills’ lack of balance and raising fresh doubts about an offense that once looked unstoppable. After the game, the head coach didn’t shy away from giving his honest take.

“It’s a week-to-week league,” coach Sean McDermott said. “You’ve got to bring your A game every week.”

Buffalo is still second in the standings and would like to rediscover consistency soon, with the road games against the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers looming. Falling short could threaten their chances in the AFC East. If Allen and the offense keep performing at home, Buffalo can solidify a wild-card slot and perhaps make noise in the postseason.