The Bills entered the 2022 season as back-to-back defending AFC East champions. They will attempt to improve upon their 11–6 record from last season and become the first team since the 2017 Eagles to win the Super Bowl for the first time.
2022 is the final season in the Bills' current lease on Highmark Stadium. Negotiations remain underway for the construction of a new stadium for the team as of January 2022; the team stated that it would not renew its lease on Highmark Stadium unless an agreement for a new stadium is struck by the end of the 2022 season.[1]
With a 31–10 win over the defending Super Bowl champions, the Rams, and a 41–7 win over the Titans (both wins by a total of 55 points), which were two teams that combined for a winning percentage of .706 from the year before (since they shared the same pool of wins and losses, at 12–5), the Bills became the first team since the AFL-NFL merger to win their first two games by 55 points over two teams that combined for a winning percentage above .531 in the previous season.
^ abcThe Bills traded first- and fourth-round selections (25th and 130th overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a first-round selection (23rd overall).
^ abcThe Bills traded a second-round selection (57th overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for second- and sixth-round selections (60th and 180th overall).
^ abcThe Bills traded a second-round selection (60th overall) to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for second- and sixth-round selections (63rd and 209th overall).
^ abcThe Bills traded fifth- and sixth-round selections (168th and 203rd overall) to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a fifth-round selection (148th overall).
The Bills' preseason opened with a last-second win against Indianapolis, after trailing 24–10 late in the 4th quarter. This extended their preseason win streak to a record[ambiguous] 9 games.[citation needed] Following a Week 2 win over Denver, their streak ended at 10 games with a loss in Week 3 to Carolina.
On May 9, the NFL announced that the Bills would host the Tennessee Titans at 7:15 p.m. ET on September 19, as part of ESPN's Week 2 Monday Night doubleheader.[51]
The remainder of the Bills' 2022 schedule was announced on May 12.[52][53]
As the result of Saturday flexible scheduling during Week 15, the date, time and network for that week's game vs. the Miami Dolphins will be finalized at a later date.
The date, time and network for Week 18 will be finalized at the end of Week 17.
The Bills put on a show and destroyed the Super Bowl champion Rams on primetime television. Josh Allen had 4 total touchdowns while Matthew Stafford was held to just 1.
Week 2: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 2: Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
Stefon Diggs had 3 touchdowns on Monday Night Football and the Bills thumped the defending #1 seed in the AFC Titans 41–7 after losing to them the last 2 seasons. The defense held the Titans to 187 yards of total offense and Matt Milano had an interception returned for a touchdown. Unfortunately, the Bills would lose defensive backs Dane Jackson and Micah Hyde to neck injuries during the game, with Hyde later being ruled out for the season with a herniated disc.[55][56]
Week 3: at Miami Dolphins
Week 3: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
The Bills sideline was in the sweltering sun while the home Dolphins were on the shaded side of Hard Rock Stadium, a major factor contributing to the Dolphins home field advantage. After trading touchdowns in the first half, the Bills had a 17–14 lead going into the fourth quarter, but Chase Edmonds scored his 2nd touchdown of the game to give the Dolphins a 21–17 lead. The Bills responded with an 8-minute drive, but on 4th and Goal from the 1-yard line, Josh Allen's pass fell incomplete and turned the ball over on downs. The Bills forced a Dolphins punt, but Thomas Morstead's kick hit Trent Sherfield in the buttocks and deflected backwards and out of the end zone for a safety to make the score 21–19. The play instantly became known as "The Butt Punt."
The Bills, only needing a field goal instead of a touchdown to win, got the ball back with no timeouts. With 18 seconds left, Allen avoided a sack and passed the ball to Isaiah McKenzie who tried to get out of bounds at the MIA-35 but was tackled just short of the sideline. The Bills hustled to get back to the line of scrimmage in time, but the clock hit all zeros and players on both teams collapsed in exhaustion. The Bills lost 21–19 in an instant classic, and fell to 2–1. The Dolphins became the only 3–0 team in the AFC.
Week 4: at Baltimore Ravens
Week 4: Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Despite Baltimore climbing to a 20–3 lead at one point in the second quarter, with 10 of the Ravens' points coming off Bills turnovers, the Bills scored 20 unanswered points of their own and shut out Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense in the second half. A key interception of Jackson by Bills safety Jordan Poyer in the fourth quarter set up Buffalo's game-winning field goal, as Ravens head coach John Harbaugh controversially opted to go for a touchdown on fourth and goal instead of attempting a go-ahead field goal. This was Buffalo's first win by one score since the 2020 season and their biggest comeback win since defeating the New England Patriots after being down 21–0 in week 3 of 2011.[57]
Week 5: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 5: Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
After a close win in Baltimore, the Bills came back home to play the Steelers, resulting in a 38–3 blowout victory. Josh Allen threw for a career-high 424 yards, also matching a career high of four passing touchdowns, in addition to matching the franchise record for the longest play from scrimmage when he threw a 98-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Davis on the third play of the game. Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett made his first career start during the game, taking the place of previous starter and former Bills backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. With the win, Buffalo improved to 4–1.[58]
Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 6: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
In a rematch of the previous season's AFC Divisional playoff game against Kansas City, which saw Buffalo lose in overtime after allowing the Chiefs to tie the game with just 13 seconds left in regulation, the Bills and Chiefs competed toe-to-toe on both offense and defense until the fourth quarter. After Buffalo's defense limited the Chiefs to a field goal in the quarter and forced a three-and-out on the Chiefs' penultimate drive, Josh Allen marched the Bills down the field, throwing a game-winning touchdown pass to Dawson Knox with 1:04 left in regulation. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was intercepted by Bills cornerback Taron Johnson two plays later, preventing another last-minute scoring drive by Kansas City in addition to allowing Buffalo to avenge its playoff loss. The Bills improved to 5–1 with the win, attaining the best record in the AFC heading into their bye week.[59]
Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 8: Green Bay Packers at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
The Bills squandered a 14–3 first-half lead and lost to Zach Wilson and the rival Jets 20–17, thanks to a strong performance from the Jets' defense and run game (despite missing starting running back Breece Hall due to a season-ending injury), in addition to a fourth-quarter field goal by Greg Zuerlein set up by a 6-minute drive that started at New York's four-yard line. In addition, Allen, who scored two rushing touchdowns but also threw two interceptions during the game, suffered an elbow injury on Buffalo's final drive, which ended with a turnover on downs and allowed the Jets to run out the clock. With the upset loss, the Bills fell to 6–2.[60]
Week 10: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 10: Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
The Bills blew their second consecutive double-digit lead, squandering a 27–10 third quarter lead. After the Bills stopped a long Vikings drive that stalled within Buffalo's one-yard line, a botched snap on Buffalo's ensuing play resulted in a fumble recovered by Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks for a touchdown that put Minnesota up 30–27. The Bills would score a field goal that tied the score at 30 apiece and led to overtime.
After the Vikings scored first on a 33-yard field goal by Greg Joseph, Allen marched the Bills downfield, but threw a game-ending interception to Patrick Peterson from Minnesota's 20-yard line, his second of the game and sixth in three games. With a 33–30 overtime loss, their second consecutive upset loss, the Bills fell to 6–3 and third place in the division.[61]
This was Stefon Diggs' first game against his former team after he was traded from Minnesota to Buffalo before the 2020 season. Diggs and Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, who was drafted with the first-round pick Buffalo sent for Diggs, both had strong performances in the game, as they both surpassed 100 yards receiving and made remarkable one-handed catches during the course of what was later called the "game of the year" by several analysts.[62]
Week 11: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 11: Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
Due to a severe lake effect snowstorm in Buffalo, this game was moved to Ford Field in Detroit in a similar fashion to the Bills' 2014 home game against the New York Jets, which was moved due to the "Snowvember" storm that dumped 7 feet of snow on Highmark Stadium. This was the Bills' second home game in franchise history moved to Detroit.[63]
In Buffalo's third Thanksgiving Day game in four years, Detroit, winner of three straight after a 1–6 start, kept pace with the Bills in a back-and-forth affair and took the lead in the fourth quarter. Josh Allen led a go-ahead touchdown drive to retake the lead, although kicker Tyler Bass missed the extra point, his first such miss since the 2020 season.[64] Despite the Lions tying the game with a field goal with 23 seconds left on the clock, Allen put the Bills into field goal range on the next drive with a 36-yard pass to Stefon Diggs, who was double-covered,[65] and Bass made the game-winning 45–yard kick, allowing Buffalo to win 28–25 and improve to 8–3.[64]
Week 13: at New England Patriots
Week 13: Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots – Game summary
^ abLA Chargers finished ahead of Baltimore based on conference record (7–5 vs. 6–6).
^ abMiami finished ahead of Pittsburgh based on head-to-head victory, claiming the 7th and final playoff spot.
^ abcNY Jets and Tennessee finished ahead of Cleveland based on conference record (5–7 vs. 4–8).
^ abNY Jets finished ahead of Tennessee based on common record (3–3 vs. 2–4 against: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Denver, Green Bay, Jacksonville).
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.