Creating an Ideal Schedule for 2026 Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills' 2026 schedule is expected to be released later this month.

While almost all of it is up in the air, it's a good time to speculate what the team's slate could look like before it becomes official.

Here is one version of an "ideal" schedule for the Bills and how it was created.

Creating the ideal Bills schedule for the 2026 season

Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Bills running back James Cook (4) rushes the ball past New York Jets safety Andre Cisco (8) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Using a grid made by NerdingonNFL (@NerdingonNFL on X), creating this schedule was fairly easy. Certain dates can't play home or away on certain dates due to other events in their respective cities, but Buffalo has none of those issues for home games.

Such restrictions do impact the Bills' road schedule, however. For example, they can't play at the New England Patriots in Week 8 because the New England Revolution host an MLS match that Sunday.

Here is a projected "ideal schedule" for Buffalo. All games are Sunday afternoon unless otherwise noted:

Week 1: at New York Jets
Week 2: vs. New England Patriots (Sunday Night Football)
Week 3: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 4: at Minnesota Vikings
Week 5: at Denver Broncos (Monday Night Football)
Week 6: vs. Detroit Lions
Week 7: at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 8: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 9: at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday Night Football)
Week 10: Bye week
Week 11: at New England Patriots
Week 12: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 13: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Sunday Night Football)
Week 14: at Houston Texans
Week 15: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 16: at Green Bay Packers (Christmas Day/Friday)
Week 17: vs. New York Jets
Week 18: at Miami Dolphins

Much-anticipated home opener

Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) rushes the ball against New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III (7) during the second half at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Some may want Buffalo's first game at the new Highmark Stadium to take place in Week 1. However, national attention will likely be on the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and the first NFL game in Australia.

With that in mind, Week 2 would likely provide a better standalone opportunity. The Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders opened their new stadiums in a similar manner in the past decade.

Limited short rest

The Bills played two Thursday night games in 2025, both of which were some of their toughest of the season. They escaped an inferior Miami Dolphins team with victory in Week 3, but weren't as lucky against the Houston Texans in Week 12, as Josh Allen took a career-high eight sacks.

In this schedule, Buffalo would only play one week on short rest, but it'd be a special one on Christmas Day against the Packers in Green Bay. It'd be a fitting matchup between two teams who are very used to cold weather.

Short rest is just one of the many things the Bills and their fans need to consider as the NFL's schedule release approaches.

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