When will the National Football League figure out that it’s absolutely incompetent at keeping secrets?
Last night at 8 o’clock the NFL released its entire 2022 schedule. That, of course, was inexplicably preceded two hours earlier with the revelation of the 32 teams’ home openers.
Is that Roger Goodell’s idea of building suspense?
Of course, we already knew 29 of those 272 games … over 10%. Twelve of those — all national telecasts — had already been released by the league, including the five international matchups: three in London and one each in Munich and Mexico City.
However, 17 … that’s 17, including the Packers entire home schedule, were a matter of record thanks to leaks.
We even knew three of the Bills games as, last week, the NFL announced that Buffalo would host the Titans in one of two Monday Nighters on Sept. 19 in Week 2. The other two were leaked, presumably via the home teams, as the Bears will meet the Bills on Christmas Eve in Chicago and the Bengals will entertain Buffalo in a Jan. 2 Monday nighter at Cincinnati.
We had to wait until Thursday evening to learn the rest of the Bills slate.
And two speculated games turned out to be true. Buffalo will, in fact, open the NFL regular season, playing the defending Super Bowl champion Rams on Thursday, Sept. 8 at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The other predicted match-up will send the Bills to Detroit’s Ford Field for a 12:30 game on Thanksgiving Day.
Of course, because of Buffalo’s recent success, speculating on prime-time games is a bit easier. This year’s schedule finds the Bills with exposure five times in prime-time, the maximum: Thursday night, Sept. 8, at the Rams; Monday night, Sept. 19, home with the Titans; Sunday night, Sept. 30, home versus Green Bay; Thursday night, Dec. 1, at New England and Monday night, Jan. 2, at Cincinnati.
Before quarterback Josh Allen arrived in 2018, the Bills had played only nine prime-time games in the previous eight seasons.
And, there’s a chance for two other national telecasts for Buffalo as the Thanksgiving meeting with the Lions is a given, but it’s also possible the Dec. 17 or 18 game against the Dolphins at Highmark Stadium could be flexed into a country-wide broadcast.
Buffalo plays three of its first four games on the road as, after visiting the Rams and hosting the Titans, come trips to Miami and Baltimore.
The two Rust Belt rivalry games find the Steelers traveling to Orchard Park, Oct. 9, and the Browns, Nov. 20.
The rematch of last season’s crushing divisional playoff meeting between the Bills and Chiefs is set for Sunday, Oct. 16 at Kansas City, Buffalo’s lone late-afternoon start on the current schedule.
New England’s visit to Highmark Stadium in the season finale will be either Jan. 7 or 8.
Buffalo’s bye week is Oct. 23.
The Bills also announced their preseason slate. With this being the AFC’s year for nine regular-season road games, Buffalo has two Saturday exhibitions at home, Aug. 13 versus Indianapolis at 4 p.m. and Aug. 20 against Denver at 1 p.m.
The preseason finale will be at Carolina on a date and time to be determined.
WHAT WE do know is that Buffalo’s schedule is tied for the 12th toughest in the league — along with the Steelers and Panthers — based on the combined records of their 2021 opponents (147-140-2, .512 pct.).
The Rams have the league’s toughest slate (.567 pct.) while Dallas and Washington are tied for the easiest (412 pct.).
2022 BUFFALO BILLS SCHEDULE
PRESEASON
Aug. 13 — Indianapolis Colts, 4 p.m.
REGULAR SEASON
Sept. 8 — at Los Angeles Rams, 8:20 p.m.
Sept. 19 — Tennessee, 7:15 p.m.
Sept. 25 — at Miami, 1 p.m.
Oct. 2 — at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Oct. 9 — Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
Oct. 16 — at Kansas City, 4:25 p.m.
Oct. 23 — BYE
Oct. 30 — Green Bay, 8:20 p.m.
Nov. 6 — at New York Jets, 1 p.m.
Nov. 13 — Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Nov. 20 — Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Nov. 24 — at Detroit, 12:30 p.m.
Dec. 1 — at New England, 8:15 p.m.
Dec. 11 — New York Jets, 1 p.m.
Dec. 18 — Miami, TBD
Dec. 24 — at Chicago, 1 p.m.
Jan. 2 — at Cincinnati, 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 8: New England, TBD
