After benefiting from an easier schedule in 2025, the Buffalo Bills will be tested during the 2026 campaign, when they face a much more challenging slate of teams during the regular season.
The Bills’ list of opponents includes seven ’26 playoff teams, including two matchups with the Super Bowl runner-up New England Patriots and three teams that competed in their respective conference championship games this past season.
Looking ahead, it will take a heck of a run under first-year head coach Joe Brady just to make the postseason. Here is how things are laid out before the official schedule release in a few months.
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Khalil Shakir
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) runs against the New England Patriots during the second half at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Home opponents
New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets
Outside of the two matchups with divisional opponents, the Dolphins and Jets, there isn’t an easy game on the rest of the Bills’ home schedule. The Patriots have a boatload of cap space. The Chiefs are the Chiefs. The Chargers are an up-and-coming team with MVP candidate Justin Herbert (I kid). And despite missing the playoffs, the Lions and Ravens should once again be formidable foes. This is going to be a rough road inside the Bills’ new stadium.
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Brandin Cooks, J'quan McMillian
Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'quan McMillian rips the ball out of Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks’ arms and the ruling was it was Denver’s ball during overtime at Empower FIeld at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Jan. 17, 2026. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Road opponents
New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets
Things don’t get any easier when the Bills have to go on the road. Once again, they will take on New England, along with the AFC Championship runner-up, the Broncos. Buffalo lost at Mile High in the playoffs and also fell to another of their ‘26 road opponents, the Texans. Then you have the Packers at Lambeau Field, one of the league's premier home-field environments and the Rams, who boast the new NFL MVP Matthew Stafford.
There will be two outcomes next season: the Bills will come out as a battle-tested team, or they will crumble under high expectations and what is expected to be a challenging regular-season run. It could be fun for Bills fans, but it could also be quite nerve-racking to watch their team in the upcoming campaign.
Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs with the ball as Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) applies defensive pressure during the second half at NRG Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images