Buffalo Bills: Is Week 1 A Season-Defining Game?

The Buffalo Bills have been on the rise for the past few seasons. Despite a change in culture and explosive talent, they’re just shy of their Super Bowl dreams. They’ve been knocking on the door but can’t seem to get into the big dance. To kick off this year’s NFL season, the Buffalo Bills will face another powerhouse team in the Los Angeles Rams who have finally found their way to a championship. Win or lose, week 1 will define the Bills’ season.

That’s not to say if they lose their season is over but against a really good team, it will highlight a season of adjustments. Take the Buffalo Bills’ offense this year. The Rams have one of the better defenses in the league and will test Buffalo to perform at their best with limited mistakes. Is there a better way to get an idea of what isn’t working than facing one of the top pass rushers in the league Aaron Donald? The Bills have an explosive team already but will need to find a way to not only overcome a powerful defense but keep pace with their offense as well.

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On the flip side of things, keeping pace with an offense is what cost them in the postseason last year. Facing a challenging Kansas City Chiefs team, Buffalo went stride for stride with one of the top offenses in the postseason. Ultimately the game was decided by an exhausted defense. Buffalo will need to come out strong and slow down the Rams early. After the playoff loss, this defense will face another tough offense but should have a chip on their shoulder. If they come out and slow down the Rams it will make a huge statement in 2022.

The 2022 campaign doesn’t kick off with a “must win” game but it will surely be the catalyst for necessary adjustments. Whether the Buffalo Bills walk away with a win or loss, facing a league leader on both sides of the football puts the whole season in perspective. There might be 16 games left in the season after this one but more than likely they’ll face these types of teams in the playoffs again. If they win then what went well will be the highlight of their campaign going forward. They don’t have to win, but the Rams game could be their most important in shaping their season.