Buffalo Bills schedule 2023: No shortage of primetime games, noteworthy matchups

[Buddy]

Buffalo Bills schedule 2023: No shortage of primetime games, noteworthy matchups

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[HipKat]

The NFL released its schedule, and for the Bills, the schedule-makers gave them respect with six total prime-time games. But 2023 has a different feel from last year.

Though 2022 featured a Bills team as the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, some believe they’ve been passed by in the AFC. With the Bengals already trying to catch the defending champion Chiefs, some put them ahead after a lopsided divisional-round game to end the Bills’ 2022 campaign.

That motivating factor could be a staple of the Bills’ 2023 season, and with how their early season schedule looks, they’ll get a chance to show they’re for real once again.

Bills 2023 schedule

WEEK	DATE	OPPONENT	TIME
1	Sept. 11	at Jets (MNF)	8:15 p.m. ET
2	Sept. 17	Raiders	1 p.m. ET
3	Sept. 24	at Commanders	1 p.m. ET
4	Oct. 1	Dolphins	1 p.m. ET
5	Oct. 8	Jaguars (London)	9:30 a.m. ET
6	Oct. 15	Giants (SNF)	8:20 p.m. ET
7	Oct. 22	at Patriots	1 p.m. ET
8	Oct. 26	Buccaneers (TNF)	8:15 p.m. ET
9	Nov. 5	at Bengals (SNF)	8:20 p.m. ET
10	Nov. 13	Broncos (MNF)	8:15 p.m. ET
11	Nov. 19	Jets	4:25 p.m. ET
12	Nov. 26	at Eagles	4:25 p.m. ET
13	BYE
14	Dec. 10	at Chiefs	4:25 p.m. ET
15	Dec. 17	Cowboys	4:25 p.m. ET
16	Dec. 23	at Chargers	8 p.m. ET
17	Dec. 31	Patriots	1 p.m. ET
18	Jan. 6 or 7	at Dolphins	TBD

Week 1 keys to victory vs. the Jets

The first Bills key is to withstand the emotional surge from the home debut of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets’ best quarterback in over a decade, in a setting with the entire world watching. Past that, the Bills will need their new-look depth at receiver to give them more of a chance against a talented Jets defense. Any game against this Jets team would have been challenging, but getting them Week 1 on prime time after acquiring Rodgers is a doozy.

Must-watch game: at Chiefs, Week 14

Because of course it is. The Bills have done a great job the last two years in the regular season of playing the Chiefs well enough to win. But there are two reasons this is the perpetual and ultimate barometer for the Bills. First, the Chiefs are the defending champions, and second, the Bills have yet to get farther than the Chiefs in a single postseason since coach Sean McDermott arrived in 2017. And in two of those postseasons, the Chiefs eliminated the Bills. With more offensive firepower in 2023, the Bills hope to make it three straight regular-season wins in Kansas City.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 12 to 16

Over five weeks, the Bills will take on the defending NFC Super Bowl representative Eagles, the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, a Cowboys team that won 12 games in 2022, and the Chargers, who made the playoffs and have an elite quarterback, Justin Herbert. Adding to the difficulty, three of those outings, the Eagles, Chiefs and Chargers, are on the road. The Bills have a bye week that will serve as the meat to the Super Bowl 57 schedule sandwich. But that four game-stretch could wind up making or breaking the Bills’ playoff seeding this year.

Game that has gotten tougher: vs. Giants, Week 6

Sure, the Giants made the playoffs in their first season under former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. But they were woefully thin with their pass catchers, they needed more improvement along the offensive line, and a few more defensive players were needed. The Giants did all of that in the offseason, adding tight end Darren Waller, a handful of wide receivers, a potential plug-and-play center in the second round, signing a linebacker and drafting a possible first-year starting cornerback in the first round. Add that to the Daboll factor, and it creates a lot of intrigue for the matchup.

One game the Bills can’t afford to lose: vs. Buccaneers, Week 8

If the Buccaneers’ offseason maneuverings are any indication, we could expect them to take a massive step back in 2023. After Tom Brady retired, their quarterback situation is one of the worst in the NFL. They traded away and cut some veteran players, which makes it seem like they’re preparing for a rebuilding year — potentially being in consideration for the Caleb Williams sweepstakes in the 2024 NFL Draft. If the Bills were to lose to this version of the Buccaneers, at home, in a prime-time setting, it would easily be their worst loss of the year.

Best offense the Bills will face: at Bengals, Week 9

The Bills had no answers for the buzz-saw Bengals’ offensive attack in one full game plus one offensive series in the 2022 regular season. They couldn’t get pressure quickly enough on quarterback Joe Burrow, they couldn’t slow down the Bengals’ rushing attack, and their duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins stressed their defense to where the Bills couldn’t shift attention to one of those star receivers. We’ve seen the Bills slow down the Chiefs in the regular season before, making the Bengals McDermott’s most significant test as the defensive coordinator.

Best defense the Bills will face: Jets, weeks 1 and 11

Some of the Bills’ opponents have greatly improved on defense, but the Jets are at a different level from the rest. In 2022, the Jets held the Bills to 37 points total over two games and only 274.5 yards per game. When not playing the Jets in the regular season last year, the Bills averaged 29.8 points per game and 415 yards per game. With immense talent at all three levels, stars and depth, the Jets could continue to give the Bills’ offense some trouble in 2023.

Predicted record: 11-6

The Bills are a good team and should be in the playoffs so long as franchise quarterback Josh Allen remains healthy. But they’ve got their work cut out in 2023. They play in arguably the most challenging division, have to play three legitimate AFC Super Bowl contenders outside of their division, the Bengals, Chiefs and Chargers, and then take on the NFC East, which just sent three teams to the playoffs in 2022 — including the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. The Bills will be tested but have enough talent to win tougher games and capitalize on their weaker opponents throughout the year.

Predicted AFC East finish: First, but barely

1. Bills
2t. Dolphins
2t. Jets
4. Patriots

The AFC East will be a battle all year for the Bills, and they might not be in the driver’s seat until late. The Jets and Dolphins have greatly improved in the offseason, even after each team made a jump in 2022, but the Bills still have a slight edge in total talent across their starting lineup. The Jets and Dolphins are in a tie for second only because they could both end up with the same record, maybe even only a game behind the Bills. It would not be a surprise if the Bills, Dolphins and Jets wind up in the AFC playoffs this year, potentially with the division crown’s getting decided in Miami in Week 18 between the Bills and Dolphins.

[LIBills]

There are going to be FIVE total 1pm starts for the Bills ALL SEASON.

That’s just nuts and not having 1pm starts fucks up everyone’s schedule.

[olddays1]

Is the week 16 Chargers game only on Peacock? Do I have to pay for another streamer? Just found this on Two Bills Drive...

The Peacock game will also be on locally for free in Buffalo and LA. If you don't live in those areas, they offer a free 7-day trial. [Peacock is the NBC streaming service.]

[HipKat]

1 hour ago, olddays1 said:

Is the week 16 Chargers game only on Peacock? Do I have to pay for another streamer? Just found this on Two Bills Drive...

The Peacock game will also be on locally for free in Buffalo and LA. If you don't live in those areas, they offer a free 7-day trial. [Peacock is the NBC streaming service.]

Sign up for the 7-day trial and then cancel it after the game