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It’s a new era of Buffalo Bills football, and that extends beyond their new home – the $2.1 billion new Highmark Stadium that opens this season. The team also has a new head coach in Joe Brady, promoted from offensive coordinator to replace Sean McDermott. Whether actual or symbolic, change is easy to see and feel all around the Bills, who will look to regain their place atop the AFC East after being knocked from that perch by the Patriots last year. As per usual in recent times, the Bills will play a glamourous schedule, one filled with six prime-time games. Here is a game-by-game forecast. Week 1 SEPT. 13 AT HOUSTON 1 p.m. (CBS) The Bills head to NRG Stadium, which has been an absolute house of horrors for Josh Allen and Co. Allen took an absolute beating last year in a 23-19 road loss at Houston on a Thursday night. The Bills will have the benefit of extra time to prepare for the rematch. In three seasons under DeMeco Ryans, the Texans have started 0-2 twice, including 0-3 last year, so they don’t exactly come firing out of the gate. People are also reading… PICK: Texans, 27-20. Week 2 SEPT. 17 VS. DETROIT 8:15 p.m. (Prime) The Lions were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders entering last season, but failed to reach the playoffs, going 9-8. Nevertheless, this is a dangerous team that’s loaded at the skill positions with running back Jahmyr Gibbs and receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. The Lions had some bad injury luck last year and should be healthier for this game, which will be an early test for new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s group. PICK: Bills, 31-27. Week 3 SEPT. 27 VS. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1 p.m. (Fox) The Chargers can’t catch a break. A year after their offensive line was decimated by injuries, the same thing happened this summer, as center Tyler Biadasz landed on season-ending injured reserve. He was supposed to stabilize what was a weakness last year. This is a game in which the Bills will look to outscore their opponent, as the Chargers lost defensive coordinator Jesse Minter from last year’s team. He took over as the Baltimore Ravens’ new head coach. PICK: Bills, 35-24. Week 4 OCT. 4 VS. NEW ENGLAND 1 p.m. (CBS) A home loss to New England in Week 5 last season played a big part in the Patriots’ AFC East championship. It won’t happen again. The Patriots are a prime regression candidate now that they don’t have a ridiculously easy schedule. They also stayed remarkably healthy last year, and injury luck always runs out. Quarterback Drake Maye, whom many thought should have won MVP for his regular season, took a step back in the playoffs, too. PICK: Bills, 28-21. Week 5 OCT. 12 AT LOS ANGELES RAMS 8:15 p.m. (ESPN) With their trade for Myles Garrett and the return from retirement of defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the Rams have constructed the NFL’s next super team. That doesn’t always work out, but there's no denying the Rams look plenty formidable on paper. They’ve got the MVP at quarterback in Matthew Stafford, two dynamic receivers (Puka Nacua and DaVante Adams) and a head coach, Sean McVay, who has won it all. They are justifiably the Super Bowl favorite. PICK: Rams, 31-24. Week 6 OCT. 18 AT LAS VEGAS 4:25 p.m. (CBS) The Raiders chose Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall draft pick, but are starting veteran Kirk Cousins – at least for now. Las Vegas also tried to trade edge rusher Maxx Crosby to Baltimore, but when that deal fell apart (supposedly because of a failed physical), Crosby returned to the silver and black. The Raiders also have a new head coach, Klint Kubiak, so they are in the early rebuilding stages. PICK: Bills, 40-17. Week 8 NOV. 1 VS. BALTIMORE 8:20 p.m. (NBC) The opener last season against the Ravens was perhaps the game of the year in the NFL, so this one should draw huge ratings and will be talked up as a potential AFC championship preview. Minter taking over for John Harbaugh was one of a few major coaching changes in the AFC (Joe Brady taking over for Sean McDermott is on that list, too). At some point, Derrick Henry has to slow down, right? PICK: Bills, 27-23. Week 9 NOV. 11 AT MINNESOTA 8:15 p.m. (ESPN) Much of the Vikings’ success will come down to how new quarterback Kyler Murray functions in Kevin O’Connell’s complex offense. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw is expected to be healthy, which should help. Justin Jefferson remains a premier threat at receiver, and the Vikings’ defense is formidable, especially in a loud home environment. Plus, there is always one game on the schedule the Bills lose that you might not expect. This is it. PICK: Vikings, 24-20. Week 10 NOV. 15 AT NEW YORK JETS 1 p.m. (CBS) There is some talent on the roster. Receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall can play. But the quarterback situation, with starter Geno Smith, is perhaps the worst in the league, and the head coach, Aaron Glenn, enters on the hot seat. Glenn said this offseason play-calling is his super power, but the Jets’ defensive performance last season would make him the world’s worst superhero. Hey, the Jets at least have a lot of draft picks in 2027. PICK: Bills, 38-13. Week 11 NOV. 22 VS. MIAMI 1 p.m. (Fox) The Dolphins are carrying a league-record $179.2 million in dead salary-cap money this year. Read that sentence again. Nearly $180 million! The roster is in shambles. Their over/under for wins is 3½. Projected starting quarterback Malik Willis has made six career starts. If you’re looking for reasons for optimism, though, Willis did play well for the Packers in a small sample size. Running back De’Von Achane is also a stud. PICK: Bills, 42-17. Week 12 NOV. 26 VS. KANSAS CITY 8:20 p.m. (NBC) Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is ready for Week 1 despite having torn his ACL in Week 15 of the 2025 season. Will Mahomes’ mobility be compromised by the injury? It’s a fair question, because that’s a big part of his game – as the Bills know well. Adding Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III at running back is a big move for the Chiefs’ offense, which should once again be one of the best in the NFL. PICK: Chiefs, 27-24. Week 13 DEC. 6 AT NEW ENGLAND 4:25 p.m. (CBS) We already covered why the Patriots could regress. Unfortunately for Bills fans, we also must recognize the possibility that they will be good. The defense, with Milton Williams and Christian Barmore in the middle and cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, is legit. Maye will get to throw to A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, giving him the best group of receivers he has had in his young career. There is a chance the Patriots have staying power. PICK: Bills, 30-24. Week 14 DEC. 13 AT GREEN BAY 8:20 p.m. (NBC) A trip to Lambeau Field a couple weeks before Christmas will make for compelling TV. The Packers have had a top-10 offense in six of Matt LaFleur’s seven seasons as head coach, and quarterback Jordan Love is statistically one of the league’s best. That hasn’t translated to Green Bay becoming a true Super Bowl contender, though. To get there, edge rusher Micah Parsons must return to health after having torn an ACL in December. PICK: Packers, 31-23. Week 15 DEC. 19 VS. CHICAGO 8:20 p.m. (CBS) The Bears are the NFC’s version of the Patriots, meaning they are prime regression candidates. They won seven games last season by seven or fewer points, which was third most in the NFL. They also enjoyed astounding turnover luck (plus-22). If that reverses, there is reason to believe the defense, which ranked 30th in defensive success rate last season, could be a big problem. Safety Coby Bryant, their big offseason addition, is going to miss most of the season. PICK: Bills, 33-24. Week 16 DEC. 25 AT DENVER 4:30 p.m. (Netflix) A second game on a major holiday, on a short week almost all the way across the country, is a tough assignment. Had Bo Nix not suffered a broken ankle against the Bills at the end of their AFC divisional playoff win, Denver might have represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. Nix needed two surgeries after the injury, and the biggest question in Denver is how he’ll respond to those. Denver’s defense is elite. PICK: Bills, 24-17. Week 17 JAN. 3 AT MIAMI 1 p.m. (CBS) From the Ringer’s 2026 AFC East preview comes this line: “On paper, this looks like the worst roster in the league.” And this one: “This will not be a quick rebuild. After years of mistakes, Miami’s roster needs a lot of work.” Remember that "South Park" episode with Cartman licking the tears of another kid? That’s what I imagine Bills fans doing to Dolphins fans reading the expectations for Miami in 2026. PICK: Bills, 35-14. Week 18 JAN. 9/10 VS. NEW YORK JETS Time, TV network TBD Will Glenn be the coach for this game? My money would be on "no," with old friend Frank Reich, the Jets’ offensive coordinator, likely to be leading in an interim role. It feels like the Jets are tanking, but they never told their current head coach. The Jets did draft David Bailey No. 2 overall, and he looked good in the preseason. They also have some respected veterans in Demario Davis and Minkah Fitzpatrick on defense.