NFL Scheduler Really Hated the Bills this Year

[IronyAbounds]

Lots of teams get tough schedules every year, some of which is dictated by the team's results from the prior year, so the Bills getting a tough schedule this year isn't surprising. However, it appears the Bills got an extra dose of difficult. Their most difficult non-divisional games are on the road (Dallas being the exception), a game overseas with the Bills being the guinea pig of Goodell's London scheduling "experiment," and a late bye. The one bright spot was the early season Miami game being in Buffalo rather than Miami like last year. I don't know how much human input there is in the schedule making, but it seems the Bills got the short end of the stick this year. 

[Coach Tuesday]

[Billzgobowlin]

9 minutes ago, IronyAbounds said:

Lots of teams get tough schedules every year, some of which is dictated by the team's results from the prior year, so the Bills getting a tough schedule this year isn't surprising. However, it appears the Bills got an extra dose of difficult. Their most difficult non-divisional games are on the road (Dallas being the exception), a game overseas with the Bills being the guinea pig of Goodell's London scheduling "experiment," and a late bye. The one bright spot was the early season Miami game being in Buffalo rather than Miami like last year. I don't know how much human input there is in the schedule making, but it seems the Bills got the short end of the stick this year. 

Not only that but London was one of our home games

[stinky finger]

10 minutes ago, IronyAbounds said:

Lots of teams get tough schedules every year, some of which is dictated by the team's results from the prior year, so the Bills getting a tough schedule this year isn't surprising. However, it appears the Bills got an extra dose of difficult. Their most difficult non-divisional games are on the road (Dallas being the exception), a game overseas with the Bills being the guinea pig of Goodell's London scheduling "experiment," and a late bye. The one bright spot was the early season Miami game being in Buffalo rather than Miami like last year. I don't know how much human input there is in the schedule making, but it seems the Bills got the short end of the stick this year. 

This sounds like a defense mechanism used by those who fear the worst.

[Bills aPHILLYate]

Initially I absolutely loathed the schedule because of this particular 4 game stretch plus the late bye.

 

Good thing is that Den and NYJ should present easier match-ups between Cincy and Philly. 

 

I'm still not fond of playing Cincy, Philly, and KC on the road though. 

[chongli]

6 hours ago, IronyAbounds said:

Lots of teams get tough schedules every year, some of which is dictated by the team's results from the prior year, so the Bills getting a tough schedule this year isn't surprising. However, it appears the Bills got an extra dose of difficult. Their most difficult non-divisional games are on the road (Dallas being the exception), a game overseas with the Bills being the guinea pig of Goodell's London scheduling "experiment," and a late bye. The one bright spot was the early season Miami game being in Buffalo rather than Miami like last year. I don't know how much human input there is in the schedule making, but it seems the Bills got the short end of the stick this year. 

 

A late bye is a good thing to rest before the playoffs. We get a late bye before KC and a mid-season mini-bye before Cincy. Home and road is also re-determined years in advance.

 

No bias.

Edited November 4, 2023 by chongli

[Zag20]

Don’t show this thread to any of the dolphins fans on twitter 

[PromoTheRobot]

20 minutes ago, IronyAbounds said:

Lots of teams get tough schedules every year, some of which is dictated by the team's results from the prior year, so the Bills getting a tough schedule this year isn't surprising. However, it appears the Bills got an extra dose of difficult. Their most difficult non-divisional games are on the road (Dallas being the exception), a game overseas with the Bills being the guinea pig of Goodell's London scheduling "experiment," and a late bye. The one bright spot was the early season Miami game being in Buffalo rather than Miami like last year. I don't know how much human input there is in the schedule making, but it seems the Bills got the short end of the stick this year. 

 

They hate the Bills. That's why they are on like half the national games.

[Matt_In_NH]

Does the NFL make all teams play a home game overseas over time?  NE is 'home" Sunday in Germany vs the Chiefs but I dont think the Cowboys have played a home team overseas....any other teams?

 

The schedule is predetermined in terms of who you play and where based on rotations and records from last year.  It turned out the schedule for the AFC East was difficult because of the nature of how they rotate divisions, it happens.  I dont agree the "scheduler" screwed the Bills in any way.  And there is no scheduler, it uses human input and a computer to optimize it for revenues but it is a highly complex undertaking where many factors are considered.  Teams can provide inputs they want, for instance play Miami earlier in the season in Buffalo but there are not guarantees.  They have to randomize home and away games...cant have a team with 6 stright home games for instance, they have to plan around blackouts at stadiums, shared stadiums and a myriad of other issues.   People love to B word is the bottom line, there is no way you can make people happy.   I have seen people complain they want Miami in Buffalo late in the season.  

10 minutes ago, Bills aPHILLYate said:

plus the late bye.

what is wrong with the late bye?

[BillsfaninSB]

7 minutes ago, chongli said:

 

A late bye is a good thing to rest before the playoffs. We get a late bye before KC and a late mini-bye before Cincy. Home and road is also re-determined years in advance.

 

No bias.

Agreed.   Last 10 Super Bowl winners had late bye weeks.

Schedule is an algorithm basically.  The only thing we can complain about is the London game.  Bills were culpable to some extent leaving so dang late.   Ravens left on a Monday. 

 

[strive_for_five_guy]

4 minutes ago, BillsfaninSB said:

Agreed.   Last 10 Super Bowl winners had late bye weeks.

Schedule is an algorithm basically.  The only thing we can complain about is the London game.  Bills were culpable to some extent leaving so dang late.   Ravens left on a Monday. 

 

Agree, the algorithm was set years ago.  Considering our matchups, I think we were actually pretty lucky with some of the setup.  We are getting extra time leading into two of our biggest AFC games, Bengals and Chiefs.  My understanding is that team’s normally prefer the late bye as well, for use when they are more banged up versus earlier in the season.

[Caesar]

29 minutes ago, Bills aPHILLYate said:

Initially I absolutely loathed the schedule because of this particular 4 game stretch plus the late bye.

 

Good thing is that Den and NYJ should present easier match-ups between Cincy and Philly. 

 

I'm still not fond of playing Cincy, Philly, and KC on the road though. 

Bengals have 49ers, Jags and KC on the road, not quite as bad.  

Poor KC has the Lions, Bills, Bengals, Eagles all at their place..... interesting algorithm the NFL has.

[Saxum]

45 minutes ago, IronyAbounds said:

Lots of teams get tough schedules every year, some of which is dictated by the team's results from the prior year, so the Bills getting a tough schedule this year isn't surprising. However, it appears the Bills got an extra dose of difficult. Their most difficult non-divisional games are on the road (Dallas being the exception), a game overseas with the Bills being the guinea pig of Goodell's London scheduling "experiment," and a late bye. The one bright spot was the early season Miami game being in Buffalo rather than Miami like last year. I don't know how much human input there is in the schedule making, but it seems the Bills got the short end of the stick this year. 

 

Blame AWS.  They can make mistakes quickly in what used to take months.

[GunnerBill]

13 minutes ago, Caesar said:

Bengals have 49ers, Jags and KC on the road, not quite as bad.  

Poor KC has the Lions, Bills, Bengals, Eagles all at their place..... interesting algorithm the NFL has.

 

That isn't as fix it is the way if works. I can tell ypu 14 of the Bills 17 games in 2028 right here right now and while I can't tell you exact opponents in the other 3 I can tell you home or road games. 

 

Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't in terms of catching the two divisions you play in good or bad years.

[Bills aPHILLYate]

28 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

 

what is wrong with the late bye?

 

Nothing technically wrong. I'm just a fan of mid-season byes more than late or extremely early. 

It's a brutal game so to me 12 weeks with no breaks can present a lot of challenges.

Especially if you're a contender. 

I'm sure it builds some mental fortitude  and evens itself out in some regard though.

 

 

 

[dma0034]

I mean the two most important games that aren't the Dolphins the Bills get extra time before (Bengals and Chiefs)

[PBF81]

To date we've had the second easiest schedule in the league.  Only Miami's had an easier one.  

 

 

[Ya Digg?]

I love these threads, especially during the season. First, to think the schedule makers sat around and said “how can we make this really tough on the Bills and only them-let’s get them the worst!”

Second, everyone knew who the Bills were playing against and where they were playing ever since last season ended. Don’t understand why there’s such shock about it.

Third, how come it’s always just complaining and no answers-what would have made this schedule any “easier?”

[fasteddie]

1 hour ago, BillsfaninSB said:

Agreed.   Last 10 Super Bowl winners had late bye weeks.

Schedule is an algorithm basically.  The only thing we can complain about is the London game.  Bills were culpable to some extent leaving so dang late.   Ravens left on a Monday. 

 

KC traveled today. We'll see how that works.

[BillsfaninSB]

7 minutes ago, fasteddie said:

KC traveled today. We'll see how that works.

interesting.   Germany is even further away.