Ranking the 5 most exciting Bills games of the 2024 NFL schedule

The Buffalo Bills’ 2024 schedule features five prime-time affairs, but those five aren’t necessarily the five most enticing matchups on the slate.

I ranked my five favorite Bills games from most exciting to most exciting, and three Sunday afternoon contests made the list. A Monday Night Football date and a Sunday Night Football exhibition also achieved Top 5 status.

5. Bills for the Lions (week 15) — December 15 at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS

Two blue-collar NFL cities are home to two of the league’s most lovable franchises. Buffalo and Detroit are still seeking a first-ever Super Bowl crown, and both are legitimate championship contenders heading into 2024.

These two teams last met on Thanksgiving in 2022, with the Bills earning a 25-22 overtime road victory over the Lions.

4. Bills at Jets (Week 6) — October 14 at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

This AFC East rivalry has gained momentum over the past two years, with the Jets successfully protecting their home field in 2022 and 2023. Add four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers into the mix and it won’t than getting hotter.

It will be a replay of last year’s Monday Night Football opener, which took an unexpected turn when Rodgers tore all four of his Achilles offensive snaps in the affair. Oh, and don’t forget the ongoing feud between Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins and Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons.

3. Bills to the Texans (Week 5) – October 6 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS

It almost seems criminal that this game was lost at 1 p.m. ET early on Sunday. Surely this is a printing error?

Quarterback CJ Stroud and the Texans’ emergence as 2023 division champions have already provided enough reasons to circle the game on the schedule. Then the Bills traded WR1 Stefon Diggs to Houston and made this matchup even juicier.

2. Bills vs. 49ers (Week 13) – December 1 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC

The Bills and 49ers have never met in the Super Bowl, although either appeared in the Big Game seven straight years, from 1988 to 1995. Both teams are hot again and expected to contend for playoff seeding at this point in the year.

Sunday Night Football is considered the #1 slot of the week and they got a good one in Week 13.

1. Bills vs. Chiefs (Week 11) – November 17 at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS

This is quickly becoming the Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady rivalry of yesteryear. When Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes lead their teams against each other, it’s appointment television and this Week 11 matchup should be no different.

The Bills will be looking for their fourth straight regular season victory against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs three times in the last four years. Both 2023 meetings were decided by field goals.