Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - I do not have a bone to pick with the NFL schedule makers when it comes to the 2023 schedule for the Buffalo Bills.
The one thing I don’t like is all of the night games and 4:25 p.m. national window games, but we knew that was coming. That is the price of success (relatively speaking).
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There is, however, a lot to like about the schedule:
Opening on "Monday Night Football" against the New York Jets
The Bills will have plenty of time to prepare for a Jets defense that decisively won its matchup against the Bills offense in both games last season.
The Jets have upgraded at quarterback with Aaron Rodgers, but if you’re worried about that, perhaps Rodgers will still be getting used to the new offense and his new group of receivers. Why not play him in his first game?
The Bills were 5-0 in prime-time last season, so playing this game at night can turn out to be a good thing.
First Miami Dolphins game being in Orchard Park
Now we don’t have to worry about Bills players cramping up in the September South Florida heat.
Since I expect Miami to contend for the AFC East title this season, it's good that the first of the two meetings is a home game for the Bills in Week 4 on Oct. 1.
All three division opponents play Buffalo in the first seven weeks
The Bills didn’t face the New England Patriots until December last season.
Bye week comes at a good point in the schedule
This year's bye week comes in the first week of December in Week 13. I’m sure the Bills will be glad to get a little break before the stretch run and the playoffs.
It is sandwiched between games against the two teams that played in the Super Bowl last season: Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
It is the latest bye week the Bills have had in the Sean McDermott era.
Kansas City game coming out of the bye week
Any nicked up players can heal for, what could be, a game with great significance, as far as the No. 1 seed is concerned. Plus, McDermott’s Bills teams are a perfect 6-0 in their first game after the bye week.
Extra time to prepare for the Cincinnati Bengals
The Bills will have 10 days between games to prepare to face the Bengals in Week 9 on Nov. 5. Their previous game is a Thursday night matchup at home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A (should be) bad Thursday night opponent
When teams play in that Thursday game, the short work week is always a concern. However, the Bills get a break with that Thursday game against a Tampa Bay team that should be near the bottom of the NFL standings this season.
Bills' home opener
I love the home opener being against the Las Vegas Raiders. I’m not expecting much from the Raiders this season, so it should be a fun day for Bills fans.
An easier start to the schedule
The Bills can get off to a good start this season. On paper, the easier part of their schedule comes over the first two months. It includes games against Las Vegas, the Washington Commanders, New England, Tampa Bay and the Denver Broncos.
No Thanksgiving games this year
The Bills are not playing on Thanksgiving for the first time in three years. HURRAY!
Bills in London
I love Sunday morning football at 9:30 a.m. ET. I’m a big fan of the Bills game in London against Jacksonville.
New England games not in prime-time
Even the NFL knows New England stinks.
The Bills have five prime-time games and four others that are in that national 4:25 p.m. kickoff slot. Both of their games against the Patriots are at 1 p.m., which means the league didn’t think a Bills-Patriots matchup was worthy of a national TV slot.
The Bills have trounced the Patriots so badly the last couple years, the games are buried in the 1 p.m. window.
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As I said, I don’t really have any major problems with the Bills schedule. I’m not a fan of all of the night games, but it comes with the territory when you are as good as the Bills and you have a marquee quarterback.
I will say I’m not thrilled with three-straight weeks of night games. The Bills host Tampa Bay in Week 8, play at Cincinnati in Week 9 and will be home for Denver in Week 10 on "Monday Night Football". Thankfully, two of those three games are very winnable.
If you like Bills games on Sundays at 1 p.m., I’m sure you are not happy with the schedule. Only five of their 17 games are in that time slot, and three of those five are in the first month of the season.
After Week 7, the Bills will have just one game in that Sunday 1 p.m. window.
While the first half of the schedule looks favorable, the Bills appear to face a very difficult closing stretch, which could be an issue if they are battling for the division title and (hopefully) the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
The final six games are:
Week 12: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 13: Bye Week
Week 14: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 15: vs Dallas Cowboys
Week 16: at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 17: vs New England Patriots
Week 18: at Miami Dolphins
Five of those six teams will probably end up in the playoffs.
