By Clint Brooks / Billswire.usatoday.com
At 1-3, the Buffalo Bills’ 2018 season is at a crossroads. With the team approaching a crucial three-game stretch against the AFC South, the next three weeks could officially bury their chances of salvaging a rebuilding season in year two of the Brandon Beane-Sean McDermott era.
Heading into Week 5, the Bills are set to take on an ascending Tennessee Titans squad. The Titans currently sit atop of the AFC South with a 3-1 record and have looked impressive in doing so. Tennessee has taken down some of the better teams in the NFL, including the Philadelphia Eagles and their divisional counterpart, the Jacksonville Jaguars. For the most part, the Titans have been an average football team, but they’ve found ways to win games, and that’s what matters in the end.
In Week 6, Buffalo will travel to Houston to take on the Texans. With quarterback Deshaun Watson back in the lineup and projected to take his team to the promised land, the Texans have surprisingly struggled out of the gate. Houston’s offense has been as advertised, sporting a top-five offense (413.8 yards-per-game), but their defense has been inconsistent and one of the central reasons for their slow start. As of Week 5, Houston is currently third in their division with a 1-3 record.
Finally, in Week 7, the Bills will continue their road trip when they head to Lucas Oil Stadium for a matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite the return of quarterback Andrew Luck, the Colts have been reeling and as a result sit at the bottom of their respective division with a 1-3 record. Indianapolis still has plenty of holes on its roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but their strength still resides on offense, and Luck’s offense will be depended on to turnaround their season.
Universally speaking, if Buffalo wishes to remain a competitive and competent football team in 2018, they’ll have to seize the opportunity against their upcoming AFC South opponents in Weeks 5-7. While there may be a discrepancy in talent between the Bills and their next three opponents, from an overall record point of view, Buffalo must benefit from this soft spot in their schedule.
The all-important matchups versus the AFC South will go a long way towards defining the 2018 Bills. Their critical three-game stretch begins this Sunday at New Era Field when they host the Tennessee Titans at 1 pm EST.