Insider says Bills might clinch AFC East by Thanksgiving

The Bills went into one of the NFL’s toughest environments on Sunday and made a battle of first-place teams look like a battle between a shark and a seal. In a 31-10 win over the Seahawks on Sunday, Buffalo (6-2) opened up a Niagra Falls-sized 3½ game lead in the AFC East.

And that’s why Yahoo! Sports NFL insider Frank Schwab believes Buffalo might have its division clinched by Thanksgiving.

“The Dolphins took a bad loss Sunday. The Jets are finished. The Patriots are no threat. But the Bills keep winning. Buffalo went on the road and plastered a sloppy Seattle Seahawks team in the rain,” Schwab wrote in his weekly winners and losers column.

That bad Dolphins loss came on a Cardinals walk-off field goal and spoiled the return of Tua Tagovailoa, dropping Miami to 2-5. New York (2-6) is now 0-2 since reuniting All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams with Aaron Rodgers, tied with New England in the division cellar. The Patriots managed to beat the Jets despite losing rookie starter Drake Maye, who might be out multiple games with a concussion.

Buffalo, which got 111 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries from James Cook on Sunday, also got 107 yards on a career-high nine catches from Khalil Shakir. Quarterback Josh Allen threw his first interception of the season, finishing 24 of 34 for 283 yards with touchdown tosses to Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid. The Bills had four touchdowns on six trips inside the Seahawks’ red zone.

On defense, the Bills got a dominating effort that included two takeaways. Buffalo also held Seattle to just 1 of 7 on third downs.

Miami is next on the Bills’ docket, a Week 9 matchup at Highmark Stadium. Then, Buffalo heads to Indianapolis (4-4) before a Week 11 AFC showdown back at home against Kansas City (7-0). The Bills are on a bye during Thanksgiving weekend.

Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones, acquired earlier this week from Tennessee, led the Seahawks with 15 tackles. He played Allen and the Bills last week while with the Titans.