Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - As we get ready for the Buffalo Bills' season opener on Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium, I feel like I'm in the same spot as I was a year ago when it comes to assessing this team's chances.
As was the case in 2024, the Bills' strength will be their offense, led by the reigning NFL's Most Valuable Player, Josh Allen. The Bills should still be among the top offensive units in the entire league.
The Bills are, again, the favorite to win the AFC East, as they should be. I don't think the division will be a cakewalk like it was in 2024, but anyone other than the Bills being on top when all is said and done would be very surprising.
By the way, if the Bills do win the AFC East, it would be their sixth-consecutive title. That would be the second-longest streak in AFC East history behind the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots, who won 11 in-a-row from 2009 through 2019.
The Bills should, once again, be a contender for the AFC Championship, along with you know who and Baltimore. I think those three teams are in their own tier.
Cincinnati could join that tier. They certainly have the offense behind stud quarterback Joe Burrow, but it remains to be seen if they fixed what was a very porous defense last season.
The biggest questions about the 2025 Bills are on the defensive side of the ball, just like last year.
The Bills overhauled the defensive line in the offseason. They definitely got younger up front, and they hope to have improved their pass rush and run defense.
Out went Von Miller, Duwuane Smoot, Quinton Jefferson, Casey Toohill, Austin Johnson and Eli Ankou. New to the Bills are Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht, Larry Ogunjobi, T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson and Deone Walker.
Hoecht and Ogunjobi will miss the first six games of the season as they serve suspensions. The Bills invested heavily along the line in this April's NFL Draft, and Sanders and Walker both showed promise during the preseason.
Bosa was the big-name pickup, but as far as I'm concerned, they can play him sparingly so he is available for the playoffs. That is where the Bosa gamble could pay off big time.
The Bills haven't made a Super Bowl in the Josh Allen era because the defense hasn't been good enough in the postseason. Hopefully Bosa and his playmaking ability will make a big difference in January (and then in February).
One key difference from the start of last season is Matt Milano being healthy. The standout linebacker was hurt during the 2024 preseason, and was on the shelf when the campaign began.
Milano has only played in nine games over the last two years. If Milano can make it through the whole season, that would be a tremendous boost for the defense.
They will need strong play from the front-six, at least in the early portion of the schedule, because the secondary is absolutely a work in progress. The Bills know what they have in Taron Johnson and Christian Benford, but after that, it's anybody's guess.
The starting cornerback opposite Benford is a big question mark. The Bills used a first-round pick on Maxwell Hairston with the hopes he could win the job over the summer. But Hairston was injured in camp and will miss, at least, the first four games.
Next man up would be Tre'Davious White, who was brought back by the Bills after one season away. But White was injured in the preseason, and as I write this, his status for the opener is up in the air.
If White isn't available, the choices are Ja'Marcus Ingram or rookie Dorian Strong.
I did like a lot of what I saw last season from Taylor Rapp at safety, so I'm not too worried about him.
But the other safety spot, likely Cole Bishop's at this point, is a big question mark. Perhaps the recently signed Jordan Poyer can do a Vulcan mind meld on Bishop to speed up his progress.
As far as a season prediction, I will go with a 12-5 record and a sixth-straight AFC East title. But I won't predict a Super Bowl... yet. I will wait and see how the defense looks.
Enjoy the season, everyone!
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