Stat Pegs Bills Among NFL's Most Challenging 2026 Schedules After Coaching Change

First-year Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady will not have an easy road as he leads his team into battle for the first time in his new role.

The Bills’ strength of schedule is among the most formidable in the league, with their upcoming opponents posting a win percentage of .528 a season ago, which ranks eighth for the 2026 campaign. The NFL is set to release its complete regular-season slate on Thursday night, while Buffalo’s Week 2 matchup against the Detroit Lions, in which the Bills will open the new Highmark Stadium, has already been announced.

Tough matchups

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs with the ball as Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) applies defensive pressure during the second half at NRG Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Buffalo has several tough matchups on its schedule this season, including eight games against 2025 playoff teams. The Bills will take on the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams on the road, along with one of their two divisional matchups against the New England Patriots coming away from home. The Broncos and Texans each defeated Buffalo a season ago, while Buffalo last faced LA in 2024, when the Rams won 44-42, and the Bills beat the Packers 27-17 in 2022.

Along with their meeting with the Lions, the Bills will also host the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers and Patriots, while they also have rivalry tilts scheduled with the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, both of which will take place in Orchard Park. The Bills have had immense success against the Chiefs during the regular season over the years, with Josh Allen 5-1 against his team’s conference foe during his regular-season career. Buffalo is also 4-1 against the Ravens since 2021, including playoffs.

Easier road

Bills receiver Gabe Davis tries to escape Vikings Patrick Peterson after a catch. | JAMIE GERMANO / USA TODAY NETWORK

While many daunting matchups line the Bills’ roster, there are also a few that should provide them with a respite, depending on how the schedule is laid out. Along with two meetings apiece against the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, the Bills will also take on the Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings. Those teams finished a combined 22-46 in 2025.

The Bills were 3-1 against the Dolphins and Jets last year, while they last faced off with the Raiders in 2023, a 38-10 Bills win. Buffalo’s last matchup against the Vikings ended in heartbreak, a 33-30 overtime loss during the 2022 season.

There’s a lot to look forward to as the NFL gets set to unveil its complete 2026 schedule, with its release set for May 14 at 8 p.m. on NFL Network.

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