Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - It was not the start to the 2023 season for the Buffalo Bills that many saw coming.
Under the bright lights of prime-time, the Bills collapsed after getting out to a 13-3 lead at halftime. Even after the New York Jets lost quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the season just four snaps into his tenure, Buffalo still failed to overcome a stout defensive performance in a 22-16 overtime loss at MetLife Stadium.
While the Bills defense looked alright for most of the night, the offense was not what it needed to be. It starts and ends with the play of quarterback Josh Allen, who turned the ball over four times with three interceptions and a fumble, while only tossing one touchdown.
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After a less than ideal start on the road, the will Bills return to Orchard Park this coming Sunday for their home opener to host the Las Vegas Raiders at Highmark Stadium.
This will be the first time in three years the two teams will meet in the regular season. The last time both teams squared off was in Las Vegas during the 2020 season, where the Bills stormed into Allegiant Stadium and came away with a 30-23 victory.
The Raiders come to town in Week 2 with a record of 1-0 after beating the Denver Broncos in their season opener in the "Mile High City," 17-16. Newly acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns in the victory, while the defense did enough to hold off the Broncos in Sean Payton's debut as head coach in Denver.
Despite an uncharacteristic loss to the Jets in Week 1, one Howard Simon is still feeling quite relaxed about the season going forward.
Even after a failed pick to start the year, Howard believes the Bills will rebound in their home opener with a win over the weekend. He didn't stop there, though, as he kept the good, relaxed vibes going with a record prediction of 11-6, still keeping the Bills as a playoff team in 2023!
Be sure to follow along on X, formerly known as Twitter, for the latest picks from Howard by using the hashtag #HowardPicksTheBills. You can also track all of Howard's picks throughout the season with Brayton Wilson's picks tracker on Twitter: @BraytonJWilson.
You can listen to, and watch the latest edition of "Howard Picks the Bills" available below: