The Buffalo Bills enter Week 8 sitting at 5-1, but will face a very tough schedule in the second half of the season. They currently hold a 1.5-game lead over the New England Patriots in the AFC East and are tied for 1st place in the AFC conference with the Kansas City Chiefs, who are also sitting at 5-1.
The team's next game will be at home against the 4-3 Baltimore Ravens, and it will be the first of many challenging games the Bills will face in the upcoming weeks. Let's take a look at the rest of the Bills' schedule and how they will have to prepare for them starting in Week 8.
Challenging teams Bills face in remaining schedule
After facing the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8, the Bills travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to take on the 6-0 Minnesota Vikings, who boast one of the league's most feared defenses led by defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Then, on Thanksgiving night, the Bills host the 5-1 Kansas City Chiefs in a potential battle for the No. 1 seed in the AFC and to earn a first-round bye.
Weeks 13-16 will be a daunting task as the Bills will be hosting all playoff teams from last year, and Week 13's contest against the New England Patriots may be the game where the Bills end up taking back the AFC East title from the Pats, or the Pats win the division two years in a row.
Buffalo Bills remaining schedule
Week 8 vs. Baltimore Ravens
With or without Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have been snakebit in the second half of their games after having incredible first halves. At halftime this past week, they led the Cincinnati Bengals 13-0 before giving up 35 unanswered points to Joe Burrow and that electric Bengals offense.
Still, the Ravens boast Derrick Henry, and while he's having a down year, it will remain important for the Bills' 13th-ranked run defense to keep loading the box and stop Henry to make the quarterback beat him with his arm.
If Jim Leonhard and the Bills can successfully do that, the Bills should be able to move to 6-1 on the season and go 1-0 coming out of their bye week.
Week 9 at MInnesota Vikings
The Bills will then travel to Minnesota to U.S. Bank Stadium to face the Minnesota Vikings, who are led by a dominant defense but an anemic offense. The Vikings have the highest blitz rate in the league, but Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense are effective against the blitz and could give their defense trouble.
Week 10 at New York Jets
The Bills head to the Meadowlands next to take on the New York Jets. Although the Jets just lost to the Miami Dolphins last week, 28-25, they still look like an improved team under Aaron Glenn in Year 2 compared to Year 1.
Week 11 vs. Miami Dolphins
The Bills will face the Miami Dolphins for the first time this season, looking to get a divisional win out of the struggling squad. Hopefully, they take care of business this time around at home, so they don't get surprised like they did last year in Miami.
Week 12 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
For the first time ever at the new Highmark Stadium, the Bills will be hosting a Thanksgiving night game against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bills will welcome the Chiefs into a newer, louder stadium and facing a new defensive scheme that could give him and Kenneth Walker more trouble than the scheme Sean McDermott wrote.
Week 13 at New England Patriots
Bills Mafia has had this rematch circled on their calendar since they dropped that Week 4 home matchup.
This time, the Bills' defense should be better prepared to take down Drake Maye, while Allen should be better at picking up New England's blitzes, and hopefully win this revenge game to take back the AFC East title from the Patriots.
Week 14 at Green Bay Packers
The Bills travel to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to take on Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers. Packers fans aren't very happy with coach LaFleur and his poor decision-making dating back to last season. Bills Mafia should be in full force in Green Bay, cheering on their team and hoping to stop Josh Jacobs from running on their improved run defense.
Week 15 vs. Chicago Bears
The Bills will then fly back to Orchard Park to face Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears. Look for Brady and Ben Johnson to try to out-do each other with hook-and-ladder plays. Also watch two defensive coordinators from the Sean Payton Tree, Jim Leonhard and Dennis Allen, try to disguise their looks to confuse two magicians at quarterback in Caleb Williams and Allen.
Week 16 at Denver Broncos
The Sean Payton drama continues as Brady and the Bills travel to the high altitude of Denver, Colorado, to face Payton himself and his Denver Broncos. This is a big game, as the Bills will be looking for revenge after they lost a heartbreaking 33-30 OT playoff game that led to Sean McDermott's firing.
This is also a big game, as Brady and his two coordinators, Pete Carmichael, Jr. and Leonhard, will face their former boss for the first time as members of the Bills coaching staff. Look for Leonhard and Vance Joseph to disguise their looks to stop the run game and pressure the quarterback.
Week 17 at Miami Dolphins
On paper, the Bills should be able to win this game, as this year's team isn't as good as last year's team with former head coach Mike McDaniel. However, the Bills should take this game seriously, as they wouldn't want to see the same thing that happened to them last year happen again.
Week 18 vs. New York Jets
We all remember what happened last year: the Bills closed out their final game at the old Highmark Stadium in style, winning 35-8 against the New York Jets. And this year, being the last game of the season against the Jets at the new Highmark Stadium, the Bills should be playing for pride with their backups, as the Jets will be deciding what to do with Aaron Glenn as head coach.
With the Bills facing their toughest games down the stretch of the season, now is the time for the team to play together as one and show their spirit and heart.
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