Bills Schedule Release: 5 Instant Takeaways from Full Reveal
For much of the last two days, we got clues -- legitimate and otherwise -- as to what the Buffalo Bills' 2023 schedule would look like. Now, the real thing is here.
Here are five early takeaways from Buffalo's 2023 slate of games:
1. The Bills Have a Chance To Make a Statement in Week 1
With Aaron Rodgers in the fold, are the New York Jets a legitimate contender in the AFC East? The Bills have a chance in the season opener to start the Rodgers Era on a sour note at MetLife Stadium, and Josh Allen and company could do so in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football.
2. In Week 9, Josh Allen Will Get Another Crack at Joe Burrow
The Bills didn't get another crack at Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs -- more on them in a minute -- in the postseason last year because they were eliminated by Joe Burrow and the Bills in the AFC Divisional Round. Allen, who has been leapfrogged by Burrow on many quarterback countdowns, needs a strong showing against the Bengals. In theory, this game will also have the storyline of Damar Hamlin playing against the Bengals for the first time since he suffered a cardiac arrest in a January regular season game against Cincinnati that eventually was suspended and never resumed.
3. Week 12 Could Be a Super Bowl LVIII Preview
Two of the five-best quarterbacks in the NFL will meet at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 12, as Josh Allen and the Bills will visit Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles. Bills vs. Eagles will be a popular preseason Super Bowl pick, so this should be one of the most-anticipated games of the regular season.
4. Will Week 14 Be the Game of the Year?
The Bills were on the wrong end of a 42-36 overtime win by the Chiefs in the 2022 AFC Divisional Round playoffs, perhaps the greatest game in the history of the sport. While the two teams didn't meet in the 2023 playoffs, the Bills edged out the Chiefs 24-20 in a Week 6 last season. What happens next in the latest installment of the Bills-Chiefs rivalry?
5. The AFC East Winner Could Be Determined in Week 17
Buffalo struggled to defeat the Skylar Thompson-led Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card Round last year. Imagine what the outcome might have been like if Tua Tagovailoa had been cleared to play. It's perhaps presumptuous to assume Tagovailoa will be healthy in Week 17, but if he is, this game might determine whether the Bills or Miami Dolphins win a crowded AFC East. Heck, the top overall seed in the AFC could come down to this game.
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