Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott knows what people are saying about his team.
“Obviously we know the noise that’s out there,” McDermott said last week as the team conducted its mandatory minicamp.
Plenty of experts are picking the Bills to win the Super Bowl. McDermott said he’s excited about the potential of his group, but the pads haven’t even gone on yet.
“Right now it’s names on paper,” McDermott said. “We’ve got to bring those names to life and the team has to come together. How we handle distractions, the commitment level that we all commit to one another as a team, and how this thing comes together ultimately will will govern where we go.”
The Bills schedule is packed with formidable opponents, highlighted by a difficult stretch to open the season in the first two months. We take you through every game and land on our latest season prediction for the Bills below. Let’s get into it.
Week 1: Bills at Rams (Sept. 8)
Result: Bills lose, 0-1
This was the toughest game to predict of the 17. The Bills are going to have a ton to play for here against the defending champions. Von Miller heads back to the city he won a Super Bowl for less than a year prior. Everybody remembers the bad taste in the mouths of Bills players and fans after the heartbreaking loss in Kansas City. The Bills could open up on fire and blow the doors off SoFi Stadium. But the Rams are going to bring back almost the exact same team, and they’ve proven they can win big games in their building. It’s a close one but L.A. gets the nod here.
Week 2: Titans at Bills (Sept. 19)
Result: Bills win, 1-1
The Titans are replacing A.J. Brown and Julio Jones with Robert Woods (coming off a torn ACL) and rookie Treylon Burks. Ryan Tannehill is getting a significant downgrade in weapons and Highmark Stadium is going to be rocking. Don’t see any paths to victory for the Titans, who have had success running against Buffalo in recent seasons. But with the work Brandon Beane did up front on the defensive line, expect Derrick Henry to find it hard to create enough big plays.
Week 3: Bills at Dolphins (Sept. 25)
Result: Bills win, 2-1
Josh Allen owns the Dolphins. He’s thrown 21 career touchdown passes against Miami. That’s more than against any other two teams combined. The Dolphins added Tyreek Hill to pair with Jaylen Waddle, and the Dolphins look like the second-best team in the AFC East. But the BIlls know how to win in Miami.
Week 4: Bills at Ravens (Oct. 2)
Result: Bills win, 3-1
Ravens are throwing it back this year after adding a few tight ends in the draft. When they were at their best, Lamar Jackson had multiple tight end targets. Baltimore doesn’t have a lot of talent at the receiver position but they’re going to play tough defense and make it a physical game. Bills are able to score enough points to win.
Week 5: Steelers at Bills (Oct. 9)
Result: Bills win, 4-1
Can Mitch Trubisky (if he’s the QB) beat his former team and best bud Allen? Short answer: No. The offensive line issues look like they’re going to plague whatever semblance of an offense the Steelers can put together.
Week 6: Bills at Chiefs (Oct. 16)
Result: Bills lose, 4-2
The Bills won in K.C. last season and can surely do it again. But after a tough string of physical games they come up short again against the Chiefs.
Week 7: Bye (Oct. 23)
Week 8: Packers at Bills (Oct. 30)
Result: Bills win, 5-2
Allen versus Aaron Rodgers in primetime is going to be one of the biggest games of the season. The Packers are going to hang with the Bills in this one, but without Davante Adams, who was traded to Las Vegas in the offseason, there just isn’t enough firepower in Green Bay to go on the road and pick up this win. The Bills should play well coming off their bye. Sean McDermott has never lost off the bye as a head coach.
Week 9: Bills at Jets (Nov. 6)
Result: Bills win, 6-2
Jets are going to be a better team in 2022. There are some that think they can even be the third-best behind the Bills and Dolphins. Plenty of questions swirl around the Patriots. This one if going to be closer than some think but the Bills have too many ways to win. Zach Wilson is going to be under plenty of pressure in this one.
Week 10: Vikings at Bills (Nov. 13)
Result: Bills win, 7-2
This will be the first time the Bills and Vikings play since the blockbuster trade that sent Stefon Diggs to Buffalo in March of 2020. The Vikings have their own star receiver now in Justin Jefferson and this will mark the return of Harrison Phillips to Buffalo. Bills rookie running back James Cook said this is the game he has circled on his schedule because he’ll get to play against his brother, Dalvin Cook. The Bills are tough at home and should be able to score enough points against the Vikings to win.
Week 11: Browns at Bills (Nov. 20)
Result: Bills win, 8-2
Deshaun Watson’s status for the upcoming season is still a major unknown. If he plays, the Browns are going to be a tough challenge. The Browns have loads of talent on both sides of the ball and arguably the greatest pass rusher in the game today in Myles Garrett. The Bills should be able to deal with Cleveland’s run game and score enough to win.
Week 12: Bills at Lions (Nov. 24)
Result: Bills win, 9-2
Don’t sleep on the Lions. They’ve started to build an impressive roster and had one of the best drafts of any team in the NFL in April. But on this big stage, the Bills have the veterans and the better quarterback. Josh Allen has never lost on Thanksgiving in two previous games.
Week 13: Bills at Patriots (Dec. 1)
Result: Bills win, 10-2
The Patriots still don’t have a No. 1 receiver and the weapons around Mac Jones leave a lot to be desired. The defense lost some key pieces, and Bill Belichick is going to have to work some magic with this roster. Bills won big in New England the last few seasons and should be able to do the same again this year.
Week 14: Jets at Bills (Dec. 11)
Result: Bills win, 11-2
The Jets are going to be tough this season but they’re still a year away. Wilson will take some more lumps and the Bills will ultimately come away with the win.
Week 15: Dolphins at Bills (Dec. 18)
Result: Bills lose, 11-3
Miami and Buffalo played a close game earlier in the season and now Miami needs a big win to secure a Wild Card spot. Expect this one to be super close and the Dolphins to just make a few more plays down the stretch.
Week 16: Bills at Bears (Dec. 24)
Result: Bills win, 12-3
The Bears are going to be one of the worst teams in football. Unless Justin Fields takes a massive step and can overcome a bad roster, Bills roll in this one.
Week 17: Bills at Bengals (Jan. 2)
Result: Bills lose, 12-4
Some think the Bengals are set to take a step back after making it to the Super Bowl last season. Allen and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow go back and forth in this one and Cincinnati wins a game they’ll need late in the season.
Week 18: Patriots at Bills (Jan. 8)
Result: Bills win, 13-4
Patriots might be in the running for a top five pick at this point of the season. With not a lot to play for, the Bills are able to wrap up the No. 1 seed with a win at home. The AFC West is going to beat each other up. It’s hard to think any of those teams can get to 13 wins after going through the divisional gauntlet. Thirteen wins is enough to get the Bills a first-round bye.