The Buffalo Bills are off to the kind of start that can make the rest of the league nervous. Two games in, they’re 2-0 after a 41-31 win over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night, and the offense has looked like the best in football while Josh Allen has put himself in the clear MVP conversation.
That opening stretch has already asked plenty of Buffalo. Two games in four days is a grind on its own, and the Bills did it against strong opponents. They’ve now started 2-0 for the third straight season, and they’ve done it with wins over the Texans and Lions, which gives them real momentum heading into the next run.
The road ahead is where things get interesting. Buffalo’s next three games come against the Chargers, Patriots, and Rams, and all three were playoff teams last season.
The Bills do get a break of sorts: the Chargers come to Buffalo with the extra rest edge, and both Los Angeles and New England will be played at home. Then comes a Monday night trip to face the Rams in Week 5, which at least gives Buffalo an extra day to get ready.
After that, the Raiders are on the schedule, offering a little breathing room.
Still, one projection has the Bills running through that stretch cleanly before finally taking their first loss in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens in Orchard Park. Jake Beckman from FanSided.com picked Buffalo to stay unbeaten through its bye week, then fall to Baltimore.
" The problem is that their defense looks like it still might be a hot bag of trash. If that’s the case, an ultra-dynamic team like the Ravens will control the game, hit explosives when it needs to, limit Josh Allen’s downfield throws, and hand the Bills their first loss of the season." said Beckman.
That line of thinking fits with where Buffalo’s defense stands right now under Jim Leonhard. There have been growing pains, and Leonhard has acknowledged them. Whether that unit is sharper by the time the Ravens arrive is still an open question.
If the Bills do end up losing to Baltimore, the damage could go beyond the standings. A loss to the Ravens could matter in AFC playoff seeding, since Baltimore would hold the tiebreaker. Buffalo has beaten Lamar Jackson’s Ravens in the playoffs twice, but both of those wins came in Buffalo, not Baltimore.
That’s where home field can become a real separator. A game like this, against a team that’s expected to be in the playoff mix, can linger if the teams are chasing the same seed later on.
In Other News...
Bills May Not Have To Wait Long For Two Key Returns
The Bills have opened 2-0 behind Josh Allens sharp start, but the early-season momentum has come with a little injury management on both sides of the ball. Wide receiver DJ Moore and defensive tackle Ed Oliver are both listed as day-to-day, and Buffalo is at least dealing with the possibility that neither absence will linger long if things break right heading into Week 3.
Olivers situation carries an added layer, given the personal family tragedy the team has been supporting him through, and the Bills are clearly handling that side of the equation with care. Still, with Buffalo looking to keep its early roll going, the chance to get both players back soon would be a welcome boost to a roster that already looks dangerous when its close to full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Skyler Bell Suddenly Has A Real Chance To Force Bills Decisions
The Bills have opened the season rolling on offense, piling up 77 points through two games, and now they turn to a Week 3 matchup with the Chargers with another layer to sort through. Receiver depth is suddenly worth watching after DJ Moore came out of Week 2 with a shoulder injury, leaving his status for the next game uncertain.
Skyler Bell has been waiting for a crack, and this could be it. The rookie has not been active yet this season, but if Moore cant go, Buffalo may have to make room for Bell in a game that already carries some intrigue because of how well the offense has started. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Game Day Stunt Sparked A Debate Fans Didn't Expect
A 4-and-a-half-month-old bison calf named Bruce made an eye-catching appearance at Highmark Stadium before a Bills game, turning heads outside the building as he wore a Bills chain and stood in a pen decorated with Zubaz fabric. The scene fit the kind of over-the-top game-day pageantry Buffalo fans tend to embrace, with the teams bison connection on full display in a way that felt equal parts novelty and hometown pride.
But the moment has also stirred an animal rights controversy, shifting the conversation from a cute pregame stunt to a more complicated debate about where the line should be drawn. Bruce came from Maple Ridge Bison Ranch, and while the setup was clearly meant to be playful and team-centric, it has now drawn scrutiny that could keep the story going well beyond the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]