Bills Receive Ultimate Break From NFL Schedule Makers

The Bills have one of the more challenging schedules in the NFL this season, but one element of their slate makes things a bit easier.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs during the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Despite saddling the Buffalo Bills with one of the most challenging 2026 regular-season schedules of any team in the league, the NFL schedule makers did gift Buffalo one respite that could pay dividends this season.

According to a chart compiled by analyst Arif Hasan, the Bills will have the second-most favorable rest differential of all 32 NFL teams this season. Buffalo has plus-14 net rest days when compared to their opponents across all 17 games. The team with the most favorable rest differential, the Chicago Bears, has a plus-15 rest differential.

The Bills’ strength of schedule ranks eighth-most difficult in the league, while they will be forced to travel the 13th most projected air miles [19,734] of any NFL team this season. Along with eight matchups with playoff teams, those items alone were enough to make Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr call out the league for screwing the Bills.

However, while it will be a rough road for Buffalo, the added days of rest will be critical for a team hoping to get over the hump and to the Super Bowl under a first-year head coach.

Examining longest stretches of rest

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen keeps the ball and gets a first down during second half action against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Nov. 2, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bills will only have three days of rest between their Week 1 matchup with the Houston Texans and their Week 2 meeting with the Detroit Lions. But between the game against Detroit and Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo will enjoy an eight-day respite. Later in the year, following another Thursday Night Football affair with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving, Buffalo will receive an additional eight days of rest before facing off with their heated rival, the New England Patriots, in Week 13.

So that’s two of the Bills’ most challenging matchups on their 2026 slate, both against playoff teams from last year, falling after extended periods of rest—a big win for Buffalo.

Comparing Bills’ rest differential to other AFC teams

New England Patriots running back Treveyon Henderson (32) runs against Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer (21) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

When it comes to the other top teams in the AFC, such as the 2025 Super Bowl runner-ups, the New England Patriots, are fifth in rest differential [+8.5], while the team that beat Buffalo in last year’s divisional round, the Denver Broncos, are 13th in rest differential [+3].

Another 2025 playoff team, the Los Angeles Chargers, ranks dead last with 24 fewer rest days than their opponents. Other top teams, the Kansas City Chiefs [-1.5, 19th], Cincinnati Bengals [-3.5, 22nd] and Baltimore Ravens [-3.5, 23rd] are all in the bottom half of the league in rest differential.

So when you look at the Bills’ extensive travel included within their 2026 schedule, coupled with the many challenging matchups against formidable teams, it certainly seems as if Buffalo got a raw deal from the schedule makers. But when navigating their tough 2026 slate, at least the Bills will have the benefit of a rest advantage over all but one of their opponents, the Bears, who Buffalo will take on in Week 15.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.