The Buffalo Bills' offense will have a chance to get off on the right foot against the Arizona Cardinals.
With the 2024 NFL season less than a week away from kicking off, projections are beginning to flood in for how teams will fare on both sides of the ball. For the Buffalo Bills, their offense may have drawn an ideal Week 1 opponent based on one of those projections.
In ESPN analyst Mike Clay's projections for the 2024 NFL season, Clay projects the Arizona Cardinals, the Bills' Week 1 opponent, will have the worst defense in the league.
In his analysis, Clay cites the team's lack of improvements in the offseason as reason for their ranking.
"The Cardinals have allowed the most points per game over the past two seasons (26.6) and did little during the offseason to suggest things will go much better in the short term," Clay said.
Dec 17, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) handles the ball off to running back James Cook (4) in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at Highmark Stadium. Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
This projection will likely excite some Bills fans, as the team saw a lot of personnel turnover in the offseason, losing starting receivers Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs. With the team bringing in veteran Curtis Samuel and rookie Keon Coleman to replace their production, the team may face some growing pains in the opening weeks as they build chemistry and spend time together on the field.
Although Clay's projections obviously don't hold any weight when the actual game kicks off and the teams take the field, it may ease some Bills' fans minds seeing that they aren't facing a top-tier defense right out of the gate.
