The Buffalo Bills: A New Path to the Super Bowl Begins
After knocking on the championship door but unable to break through, the Buffalo Bills are determined to carve another path to the Super Bowl.
The Bills begin their quest to reach the postseason for the seventh time in eight seasons when they face the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday in Orchard Park, New York.
In January, Buffalo (11-6 last season) saw its Super Bowl hopes dashed by the Kansas City Chiefs for the third time in the last four seasons. After losing to the Chiefs in the 2020 AFC Championship Game, the Bills have been eliminated in the divisional round each of the last three seasons.
Due to salary constraints and inconsistent results, the Bills underwent a significant restructure this spring. Departures included prominent names like receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, center Mitch Morse, cornerback Tre’Davious White, and safety Jordan Poyer.
The trade of Diggs to the Houston Texans was arguably the club’s biggest move, parting with a talented player who was at times a distraction. But not having a reliable wide receiver isn’t a problem for star quarterback Josh Allen.
“Yeah, we have a lot of new players, new faces, and we’re just trying to spread the wealth,” Allen said Wednesday. “I think the term we’re using is ‘Everybody eats,’ and it’s going to take all 11 players on the field at any given time to make a play work. That’s our mentality. It doesn’t matter who gets the ball or when they get it, ‘We’re going to be happy with what we’re doing and just try to make the best play we can.'”
Khalil Shakir, who has two touchdowns in the postseason, and newcomer Curtis Samuel (62 receptions for Washington last season) appear to be the top targets. Veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling and second-round draft pick Keon Coleman are also in the mix.
“I feel like teams don’t even know what we’re going to do,” Samuel said. “And I think that’s a great thing. We have so many weapons, so many different players that can do so many different things. I feel like that makes us scary.”
The Arizona Cardinals, who struggled to a 4-13 record last season, hope to have an explosive duo with No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. on board to catch passes from quarterback Kyler Murray. Harrison played just three snaps in the preseason without being thrown a ball, so Sunday is the day Arizona’s new gift will officially be opened.
“I know what kind of talent he is and I know what he’s capable of,” Murray said, “but we’ve got to go out and do it.”
Murray is eager to get this season underway now that his serious knee injury is behind him. He tore the ACL in his right knee against the New England Patriots during a Monday Night Game on December 12, 2022.
He returned to the field exactly 11 months later and last season threw for 1,799 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games.
“Football has been on my mind all preseason,” Murray said. “It always has been, but last year, being injured and having to rehab and stuff like that, (I tried) not to get too far away from the game mentally. I’ve had this on my mind for a long time, what I want to accomplish, what I want this team to accomplish, so it doesn’t feel like anything new.”
The Cardinals have played just one postseason game during Murray’s previous five NFL seasons: a wild-card round loss to the Los Angeles Rams during the 2021 season.
Receiver Xavier Weaver (oblique) did not participate in the Cardinals’ practice on Wednesday. Defensive end Javon Solomon (oblique) did not participate in the Bills’ practice.
