Can the Bills run the table?
With the bye week officially over, 12 weeks are down for the Buffalo Bills, and they are set up pretty well both in their own division and the AFC. Being 9-2 while going through a soft reset roster-wise speaks volumes about the coaching staff and how well the team is executing. This year has shown that both Sean McDermott, his coaching staff, and Josh Allen have learned from their tenure together. They have a winning culture, and that train doesn’t look like it’s slowing down.
The best part about this team this year is how Allen has matured as a quarterback. He took to resetting his throwing mechanics this off-season as well as playing quarterback more from the neck up. He still has his special moments, just like this past week against the Kansas City Chiefs where he executed the game-winning 26 yard touchdown run. This is what makes this team so good. Allen is doing more as a pocket passer and completing the better options in the passing game, having a stabilized running game, taking care of the football, and being the special unicorn that he has shown his entire career when it’s needed.
Looking ahead, the Bills have a tough slate of games, followed by three divisional matchups. This includes, in order, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and New England on the road to close out the year. So, two NFC West teams back to back, followed by the potential game of the year (and Super Bowl matchup?) in the Detroit Lions. Not an easy task, but also, not an easy task for teams facing this Buffalo Bills team.
Week 13 vs. San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco is looking a little rough this year, and the vibes are not so high, but they are still a pretty good team with one of the better head coaches in Kyle Shanahan. This could be a tough game for the 49ers on the road, in a hostile environment such as Buffalo. Also, since Sean McDermott has taken over as head coach of Buffalo, he is undefeated off of a bye week.
Prediction: Win
Week 14 @ Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are an up-and-down team. They have a good offense with one of the better head coaches in Sean McVay, an aging but still effective quarterback in Matthew Stafford, and a plethora of talent in Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams. Their defense is pretty young, but they are feisty and are lead by their breakout rookie edge rusher, Jared Verse. This could be a close game, considering it’s in Los Angeles, but the Bills did win the last time they faced the Rams coming off of their Super Bowl victory in 2022 in this stadium. That Rams team was arguably better than this one.
Prediction: Win
Week 15 @ Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are an absolute force to be reckoned with. They have embodied the culture brought forth by Dan Campbell, and it is really paying off. The Lions have little, if any, weaknesses that can be exploited. This is by far the toughest game coming out of the bye for the Bills. This seems like a game that could come down to whoever has the ball last.
Prediction: Loss
Week 16 vs. New England Patriots
New England is a rebuilding team, but in the past few weeks, they seem to be hitting on their rookie quarterback in Drake Maye. Although he and the team are still young and flawed, this isn’t the easiest win one would imagine. Division games are weird, and there are more upsets than there aren’t. Just look at the Cleveland Browns. They are not a good football team, but have wins against both their divisional rivals in the Ravens and most recently the Steelers, who are both perennial playoff teams. Unfortunately for New England, it is in Buffalo.
Prediction: Win
Week 17 vs. New York Jets
The New York Jets are.. well, they are the Jets. So far this season, they have fired their head coach, demoted their offensive coordinator, brought in Davante Adams, traded Mike Williams, and most recently fired their general manager, Joe Douglas. The vibes are at an all time low with this team, and players are seemingly checked out. All of this, and one of the last games of the year facing a Buffalo Bills team in Orchard Park that are one of the hotter teams in the league spells disaster for the folks in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Prediction: Win
Week 18 @ New England Patriots
By this point of the season, the Bills may or may not have the #1 seed in play, depending on how many losses Kansas City has. If the Bills do have it in hand, they could rest starters for this game. If they don’t, but could get it with a win, this makes this game all the more entertaining in New England. There’s a 3rd option, that includes Buffalo having the 2 seed locked up with either a win or a loss, which would include resting starters as well. New England could try to play spoiler and end their first year of a rebuild on a high note, whether it be against Josh Allen or not.
Prediction: Win
Final prediction: 14-3