Buffalo Bills: Breaking down the toughest stretch of 2020 season

On paper, the Buffalo Bills have a tougher schedule than they did last year and the month of December will really test this team.

When the opponents for the 2020 season was announced for the Buffalo Bills, the caliber of teams was clearly stronger than last year. The Bills would be playing six games against playoff teams, including two against the New England Patriots, along with both teams from the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

In the NFL, it isn’t always who they play but when they play and with the release of the 2020 schedule on Thursday, the month of December jumps out immediately as the team’s toughest stretch of games.

The Bills start the month against the 49ers in San Francisco on Monday Night Football in a Week 13 showdown. The 49ers have an excellent defense led by their line with players like Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas and Arik Armstead. However, they also have an excellent rushing attack and these are the type of games that can take a physical toll on teams, combined with the Bills having to travel across the country.

After this game, the Bills travel home to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. The fact that this game is later on Sunday certainly helps but this game will be played on a short week as the Bills try to recover from travel and playing against the 49ers. The Bills did beat the Steelers on Sunday Night Football last year but that was without their starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

After this game, the Bills head back onto the road to face the Denver Broncos on another potential short week. This Week 15 matchup right now is scheduled to be played on either December 19th or December 20th, which is a similar situation to the Bills and Patriots game at the end of last season. While it would be good to play on national television, the Bills would probably prefer to have the extra day to prepare.

The Broncos appear to be a team on the rise after finishing the year with a 4-1 record. They have had a stout defense but now have offensive weapons to help second-year quarterback Drew Lock. The additions of Melvin Gordon, Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler to Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant makes this an offense with a lot of potential.

After the Broncos game, the Bills stay on the road and face off against the New England Patriots in another Monday Night Football showdown. While this won’t be the same Patriots team with Tom Brady now in Tampa Bay, it is still led by Bill Belichick who knows how to get the most out of his team.

Stretches like these have typically been crushing for previous Buffalo Bills teams and they faced a similar stretch towards the end of last season. Over a four week period last year, the Bills faced the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots but they rose to the occasion and went 2-2 with their two losses being only by a touchdown.

There is no question that the Buffalo Bills are in for another tough December but if this is a team that believes they are one of the best in the AFC, these are the stretches that can validate that.