1. What's the toughest stretch on the Bills schedule?
ESPN NFL analyst Mike Clay joined One Bills Live to breakdown his thoughts on the Bills 2020 schedule. Clay doesn't think the Bills have a daunting schedule due to the way it's laid out, but the NFL analyst sees a tough stretch for Buffalo after Week 11.
"Before the Week 11 bye it's pretty light," Clay said. "After that you look at the defenses they are going to face the Chargers, 49ers, Steelers, Broncos, Patriots from Week's 12 to 16. That's really tough. That's as tough as it gets."
Clay ranks the Bills as having the eighth-easiest schedule due to their six division games which he thinks won't be as hard to win as year's past. The NFL analyst doesn't rank schedules based on last year's records but on strength of each position group.
"Earlier in the season when you're playing two games against the Jets, they have two games against the Dolphins on the schedule—those are two teams I expect to struggle this season, even if they are a little bit better," Clay said. "Of course the Patriots, we don't expect to be quite as good as in year's past. So playing six of their 16 games against the division is a big reason why I like their slate."
Clay likes Buffalo's chances to win the AFC East but thinks the Bills will only go as far as quarterback Josh Allen takes them.
"They're the favorite in my estimation to win the division," Clay explained. "It's all going to come down to mister Josh Allen. How will he progress in his third season? We've seen all around play making ability, we've seen rushing ability, we've seen okay passing but overall the passing isn't good enough. He's going to have to take a leap forward this season to take them over the top."
2. Bills vs. Chiefs among the best prime time games according to NFL.com
NFL.com writer Adam Schein ranked his top nine prime time games based on matchups, hot teams, revenge games and star players. Schein's Nine has the Week 6 matchup of Kansas City at Buffalo sitting at No. 3 for best prime time game.
3) Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
Week 6: Thursday, Oct. 15 at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox/NFL Network/Amazon
Patty Mahomes against Sean McDermott's defense in front of the amazing and passionate fans in lovely Western New York? Buckle up, buttercup! The scene in Buffalo is going to be wild, with the defending champs coming to town with the sun down and the juices flowing for Bills Mafia. I'm so excited I might jump through a table! This could be a playoff preview, too. I anticipate the Chiefs will win their fifth straight AFC West title. And yes, I expect the Bills to take the AFC East for the first time since 1995.
Any time Mahomes is on in prime time -- with the electric Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce by his side -- the viewing offers sizzle. Can't wait to see him go against a Bills defense that ranked second in points allowed and third in total D last season. But don't discount the undercard of Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs and Buffalo's revamped passing attack against Tyrann Mathieu, Frank Clark, Chris Jones and the rest of K.C.'s underrated championship defense.
There are already plenty of storylines in this game including Bills head coach Sean McDermott playing against his former coach in Andy Reid. McDermott coached under Reid from 2001 to 2010 when Reid was the head coach of the Eagles.
3. Stefon Diggs vs. Stephon Gilmore ranks as one of the best individual matchups
After the release of the 2020 NFL schedule, NFL.com writer Chris Wesseling found the 10 most exciting individual matchups to watch. Buffalo made the list with wide receiver Stefon Diggs going up against New England cornerback Stephon Gilmore. It will be a key matchup that Bills fans get to see twice.
Weeks 8, 16: Stefon Diggs, WR, Bills vs. Stephon Gilmore, CB, Patriots
After watching their receivers struggle to separate versus tight man coverage, the Bills paid a steep price to Minnesota to acquire one of the premier route runners in the business. Diggs tended to wear his frustration on his sleeve when Vikings QB Kirk Cousins grew gun-shy downfield. If he manages to spring free versus the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, he can count on Josh Allen to pull the trigger. If the previous two years are any indication, he can also count on those bullets to be scattershot in nature.
Gilmore tied for a league-best six interceptions last season. Diggs finished 2019 with 1,130 receiving yards and had a career-high eight receptions of 40 yards or longer.
