NFL
By: Randall Slifer
The schedule releases came last Wednesday to fill the football void in May, awaiting June 1st, when we reanalyze the rosters with more cuts. There is always a day to keep football relevant! Buffalo Bill’s schedule has both positives and negatives, but viewed holistically, it appears favorable. Let’s dive into Buffalo Bill’s schedule and what the positives and negatives are, looking at it before the season starts:
Pro: Buffalo’s home opponents versus their away opponents
One of my favorite aspects of Buffalo Bill’s schedule is the matchups they play at home and the ones they play on the road. The best-case scenario for an NFL schedule is you play your toughest opponents on your turf, while you take on the weakest opponents on their turf. I want to make one thing clear: the pre-season strength of schedule based off last year’s record, is one of the most fraudulent statistics in the entire NFL. It does not account for the draft or any off-season moves. I will not base my assessment of weak versus strong opponents on that statistic, but instead on the obvious outside picture of Buffalo Bill’s schedule.
Home Opponents: Dolphins, Patriots, Jets, Ravens, Bengals, Chiefs, Saints, Eagles, Buccaneers
Away Opponents: Dolphins, Patriots, Jets, Falcons, Panthers, Browns, Texans, Steelers
Now, I am not in the business of trashing teams, but it’s obvious just looking at the difference between the teams right there. If we exclude division opponents, our toughest away teams are the Texans and the Falcons. Both teams will be tough opponents, but the rest of the away opponents are either ascending, rebuilding, or a tad confused. I have high hopes for the Panthers in 2026. I have high hopes for the Browns and the Steelers in 2027. Buffalo is a better roster with an MVP quarterback right now. Early betting lines have us favored by a touchdown in two out of those three games. Playing the Ravens, Bengals, Chiefs, and Eagles at home is a massive advantage for Buffalo. Buffalo went undefeated at home last year and has a 35-7 record in the past five seasons. If Buffalo can pull a 3-1 record out of those four home games, Buffalo will be gunning for that number one seed.
Con: The back half of Buffalo’s schedule is a gauntlet
Buffalo has an early bye week, and their schedule features some easier games while still requiring them to play Atlanta and Baltimore. Once Buffalo gets the week off, our schedule becomes tough, as we must play eleven games in a row. We do not have a traditional gauntlet of back-to-back games, but tough teams and divisional opponents are scattered throughout after the bye week. Playing the Chiefs, Dolphins, Buccaneers, Texans, and Bengals in a six-game stretch, is not for the weak. If Buffalo wants the number 1 seed in the AFC, they will need to be focused for eleven straight games without wavering from an upset. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills always fall into a trap game, and Josh Allen is not typically the one who saves us from that loss.
Pro: Buffalo travels the second least in the NFL
Buffalo has been on the losing end of the travel schedule in recent years, and it truly affects your routine and ability to prepare for a game. Traveling to the West Coast has a significantly greater impact on what the home team needs to prepare for throughout the week. Three-hour jet lag is real, and it can throw off your sleep schedule when you arrive on Friday for a Sunday game. The home team gets to sleep in their beds, take the usual route to their facility, and see their families at all times during their preparation. I do believe that fans are the number one advantage when having a home game, but routine is much closer than people perceive. Now, Buffalo is on the more advantageous side of travel. Buffalo does not have an international game, which is excellent for any team that doesn’t have to deal with the trip. Buffalo has dealt with brutal losses and injuries every time we fly across the Atlantic to play football. Buffalo fans hope that our only international games ever played will be hosted by our friendly neighbors up north. Buffalo has one game outside of the Eastern Time Zone. The only game outside of the Eastern Time Zone is against the Houston Texans, with only a one-hour time difference in the Central Time Zone. This will enable Buffalo to stay fresh and focused throughout the entire season.
Con: Rest disadvantages due to prime-time games
Buffalo, having sustained success year after year, comes with some “first-world problems.” One “problem” is being scheduled multiple prime-time games. Buffalo has five prime-time games scheduled for the 2025 season. If teams play on Thursday night, your team will have to play two games in five days. The NFL teams’ schedules are a six-day process to prepare for a game, so teams in these situations need to condense the preparation into three days. Additionally, teams may sometimes need to travel. Buffalo plays two Thursday night games this year. One early Thursday Night Football game starts with a Sunday against the Jets, and then Buffalo plays Miami Thursday night in Buffalo. Buffalo will need to fly out after the game and start their prep immediately on Monday, with only three days to prep. Buffalo’s other Thursday night game is in Houston. Buffalo will play Tampa Bay at home, but will need to travel to Houston on Tuesday or Wednesday. This will give Buffalo only one day to review the film and propose the initial game plan, and then travel to Houston for the remainder of the preparation, including a walk-through. The NFL strives to minimize these types of situations, but sometimes they occur. It is up to Buffalo to stay focused and use their nights to prepare for the game, as there are only 24 hours in a day.
All in all, Buffalo has more impactful positives than negatives, considering the schedule at face value. The short trips are absolutely massive, and being at home for our toughest opponents is crucial if Buffalo wants to secure a playoff bye week. Can the Buffalo Bills take everything they have and put it all together for a Championship run? Time will tell, but there are some small pieces in our favor to give us a positive nudge in the right direction.
What are some positives and negatives when looking at the draft, or what are your aspirations for the 2025 season? Comment here or reach out to me on Twitter/Bluesky @RandallSlifer and let me know what you think. Go Bills!
