Dec 29, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates after scoring a rushing touchdown against the New York Jets. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

ESPN predicts long-awaited first for Bills in 2025

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI | By Owen Klein | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 2:07 PM ET

The Buffalo Bills will have high expectations placed upon them in the 2025 NFL season, which kicks off on Thursday, and the main one is to win the Super Bowl, something they haven't done in the franchise's 65-year history.

Seth Walder of ESPN made his season prediction for the league on Monday morning, and he has the Bills going all the way to the big game, which would make the city of Buffalo erupt with joy.

Walder has the Bills going 13-4, by far enough for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, ahead of the 10-7 Ravens, Bengals and Colts. He has Buffalo defeating the Titans and Ravens en route to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California for the 2026 Super Bowl.

"[Josh] Allen put on a top-tier performance, recording a 91 QBR and throwing a go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid," Walder wrote about his view of a potential Ravens/Bills AFC Championship Game showdown.

In Walder's prediction, the Bills and Allen, who would have won his second straight MVP award, would face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who made an unlikely run from the 7-seed. He sees the game as one-sided in the Bills' favor.

"The Bills opened with a two-score lead in the first eight minutes on a 56-yard touchdown run by James Cook. It didn't get closer, so Allen hardly needed to make big plays," wrote Walder.

Walder says Cook, who signed a four-year, $48 million extension in August, would win Super Bowl MVP with three rushing touchdowns in the Bills' 55-23 victory over Tampa Bay.

Predictions mean nothing until the season gets underway, but Bills fans will be delighted to see that such an attested writer has faith in their team as the season's kickoff nears.