When the NFL schedule was released last month, the Buffalo Bills were given a major right out of the gate. They will face some of the toughest opponents in the league, but then they will catch some breaks near the end of the season, especially in the last two weeks where they will play the Dolphins and the Jets.
Don’t get me wrong, they will have some tough opponents later on in the season, such as the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving and then the Denver Broncos on Christmas. Overall, Buffalo will be tested and they should be simply because of them being consistent contenders every season.
While teams should be worried about having to play the Bills, Buffalo will have their hands full, and they will be facing some of the league’s best. When you look at the teams that they will be playing, you can easily point out who the best player(s) will be that the Bills will face.
However, one area that tends to be overlooked is seeing which players could make a serious impact against a team and even become a potential MVP candidate by the time the regular season ends. Dan Parr from NFL.com listed nine players who could be NFL MVP dark horse candidates, and two of them will face the Bills this coming season.
2 NFC QBs Bills set to face listed as potential MVP candidates
On Parr’s list, two quarterbacks from the NFC North were listed as candidates. The two were Jared Goff from the Detroit Lions, and then Kyler Murray from the Minnesota Vikings.
Dan Parr about Kyler Murray:
"Murray has demonstrated a propensity for making defenses look silly. He was doing it not too long ago, albeit too infrequently. If O’Connell helps him unlock peak form, the Vikings could be surprise contenders in the NFC North, and the heat from the QB’s MVP campaign might turn snowmen into puddles across Minneapolis next winter." said Parr.
Dan Parr about Jared Goff:
"I’m a bit surprised there’s not more MVP love for Goff right now. Yes, he plays in one of the league’s toughest divisions and the Lions’ rough second half of the 2025 season is still fresh in our minds, but he’s also the only quarterback to rank among the top five in EPA in each of the last four seasons. He finished fifth in the MVP voting in 2024 and has made the Pro Bowl in three of the past four seasons." said Parr.
The Bills will host Goff in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football when the Lions come to Buffalo for the official debut of the new Highmark Stadium. Goff and the Lions’ offense took a bit of a step back due to them losing their offensive coordinator in Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears. At the same time, Detroit’s offense has great playmakers and if Goff can hit his stride early on and throughout the season, he could make a case to be a true MVP candidate.
As for Murray, the Bills will travel to Minnesota for a Week 9 Monday Night Football battle. The Vikings have a top head coach in Kevin O’Connell and great weapons on the outside. However, the quarterback position has been a bit of a mess. Instead of putting full trust into J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings brought in Murray on a one-year deal, as he looks to get his career back on track after spending time with the Arizona Cardinals.
While these two quarterbacks could very well become potential MVP candidates, Bills Mafia must hope that when they face Buffalo, that they struggle and that the Bills come out of those games with important out-of-conference wins.Â
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