The Buffalo Bills have won at least 10 games and advanced to the postseason in each of the last four years and — barring injury — should be expected to do the same thing again in 2023. Still, given that the AFC has only gotten tougher since last season ended, the Bills’ path to contention will be more challenging. What does Buffalo’s 2023 schedule look like?
Buffalo Bills Schedule and Opponents
Here is the Bills’ complete preseason and regular-season schedule for 2023.
Bills Preseason Schedule
- Week 1: vs. Colts
WIVB | 1 p.m. ET (Saturday, Aug. 12) - Week 2: at Steelers
WIVB | 6:30 p.m. ET (Saturday, Aug. 19) - Week 3: at Bears
WIVB | 1 p.m. ET (Saturday, Aug. 26)
Bills Regular-Season Schedule
- Week 1: at Jets (MNF)
ESPN | 8:15 p.m. ET (Monday, Sept. 11) - Week 2: vs. Raiders
CBS | 1 p.m. ET (Sunday, Sept. 17) - Week 3: at Commanders
CBS | 1 p.m. ET (Sunday, Sept. 24) - Week 4: vs. Dolphins
CBS | 1 p.m. ET (Sunday, Oct. 1) - Week 5: vs. Jaguars (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
NFL Network | 9:30 a.m. ET (Sunday, Oct. 8) - Week 6: vs. Giants (SNF)
NBC | 8:20 p.m. ET (Sunday, Oct. 15) - Week 7: at Patriots
CBS | 1 p.m. ET (Sunday, Oct. 22) - Week 8: vs. Buccaneers (TNF)
Amazon Prime | 8:15 p.m. ET (Thursday, Oct. 26) - Week 9: at Bengals (SNF)
NBC | 8:20 p.m. ET (Sunday, Nov. 5) - Week 10: vs. Broncos (MNF)
ESPN | 8:15 p.m. ET (Sunday, Nov. 12) - Week 11: vs. Jets
CBS | 4:25 p.m. ET (Sunday, Nov. 19) - Week 12: at Eagles
CBS | 4:25 p.m. ET (Sunday, Nov. 26) - Week 13: BYE
- Week 14: at Chiefs
CBS | 4:25 p.m. ET (Sunday, Dec. 10) - Week 15: vs. Cowboys
FOX | 4:25 p.m. ET (Sunday, Dec. 17) - Week 16: at Chargers
Peacock | 8 p.m. ET (Saturday, Dec. 23) - Week 17: vs. Patriots
CBS | 1 p.m. ET (Sunday, Dec. 31) - Week 18: at Dolphins
TBD | TBD
Buffalo Bills Strength of Schedule
To be the best, you have to beat the best. The Bills will put that expression to the test in 2023.
Not only does Buffalo draw a division champion’s schedule, but they will also face three of the final four teams from the 2022 campaign: the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadlephia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Additionally, while the Bills are viewed as the best team in their division, the AFC East is arguably the toughest division in the NFL. The New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots are all expected to compete for the playoffs next season, so no game inside the division will be a cakewalk for Buffalo.
Looking at PFN’s strength of schedule, which uses more than just win-total projections and estimates team strength for next year, the Bills currently have the fourth-toughest schedule in the league. Only the Giants, Jets, and Patriots have more difficult slates in 2023, while all four AFC East teams rank inside the top five.
Buffalo Bills Record Prediction
While their Divisional Round exit doesn’t show it, Buffalo was arguably the NFL’s best team during the regular season. The Bills finished second in expected points added per play on offense and ranked seventh on defense — the Eagles, 49ers, Bengals, and Cowboys were the only other teams to have both units inside the top 10. Buffalo also ranked first in total DVOA (35.1%), coming in well above the No. 2-ranked 49ers (27.5%).
With most of their key pieces coming back and Josh Allen returning as a perennial MVP candidate, the Bills had a relatively quiet offseason, eschewing significant moves like last year’s Von Miller addition in favor of more modest, targeted additions.
It seems clear that Buffalo wants to become more versatile. After using their first-round pick on tight end Dalton Kincaid, the Bills can use more 12 personnel with both Kincaid and Dawson Knox on the field. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey should be able to create advantageous matchups for Kincaid, who’s really more of an oversized wide receiver, by getting him lined up on linebackers or safeties.
Allen and Stefon Diggs will remain the primary drivers of Buffalo’s offense, but the ground game could become more of a focal point. Not only did the Bills add power backs Damien Harris and Latavius Murray, but they also signed Connor McGovern and drafted O’Cyrus Torrence to play guard, perhaps signaling that Buffalo wants more of a “bully ball” approach at their disposal.
On defense, the Bills will return every starter except for linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, while Miller might not be ready for the start of the season after tearing his ACL in December. The biggest change will come at coordinator, where play-calling head coach Sean McDermott will replace Leslie Frazier.
It feels rote to pencil the Bills in for another double-digit-win season, but that’s still the most likely outcome, even given the makeup of the AFC. Still, 2023 won’t be considered a success if Buffalo makes another abbreviated playoff run.
Record Prediction: 11-6