For a fourth straight year, the Buffalo Bills enter a new NFL season as one of the favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

Buffalo, of course, failed to reach the title game in each of the past three seasons and hasn't appeared in a Super Bowl since famously losing four straight in the early 1990s. This season actually marks the 30th anniversary of that fourth and final defeat. So it's safe to say Bills Mafia is ready for Josh Allen & Co. to take the next step.

That quest begins Monday night with the Bills' Week 1 AFC East showdown with the New York Jets, who are looking to end a Super Bowl appearance drought of their own, one that dates back to the 1968 season.

But the Bills will obviously be dealing with a different Jets team than the one they've seen the past few years, as four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers is now taking the snaps. And maybe that's a good thing for Buffalo heading into Monday Night Football, as most of the pressure is seemingly on Gang Green and all of their new additions.

But that doesn't mean there's zero pressure on the Bills, who certainly may need this victory in a tiebreaker scenario if the AFC East is as tight as most expect it to be. And speaking of tight, most are expecting a close battle between Buffalo and New York, including our pals at FanDuel, who are listing the Bills as two-point road favorites.

Now, it's just too easy to say that Josh Allen needs to have a solid season opener to help Buffalo to victory, although that is a true statement as he faces a tough Jets defense that picked him off twice a season ago and sacked him eight times.

So, who could step up and be the Bills' Week 1 X-Factor?

Gabe Davis is the Bills' Week 1 X-Factor vs. the Jets

There were certainly plenty of candidates from which to choose as the Bills' Week 1 X-Factor versus the Jets.

With Von Miller still out of action as he recovers from a torn ACL, former Los Angeles Ram Leonard Floyd takes over at right defensive end and will play a pivotal role in putting pressure on Aaron Rodgers.

Can second-year cornerback Christian Benford help contain Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Mecole Hardman in pass coverage while also protecting the edge when Rodgers hands the ball off to Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook? Can James Cook take the next big step in his development as the running back in Buffalo?

While all strong options, I'm going to roll with wide receiver Gabe Davis as the Bills' Week 1 X-Factor.

Look, it's not as if the UCF alum hasn't been solid since Buffalo drafted him in the fourth round in 2020. Davis was a strong third or fourth option for Josh Allen his first two years, and last season was his best yet as he caught 48 passes during the regular season for 836 yards with seven touchdowns, ranking second to only Stefon Diggs in all three categories (he tied with Dawson Knox for second in receptions).

But he'll need to maintain that level of play for the Bills to be successful, both during the season as a whole and on Monday night against the Jets.

Diggs is going to have his hands full with Sauce Gardner, who deservedly took Defensive Rookie of the Year honors last season. And there's a strong chance Diggs will get doubled at times. That's where Davis needs to step up and make New York defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich rethink his strategy.

A season ago, Davis caught just five passes in two games against the Jets, although his average was solid as those five receptions accounted for 64 yards. But, again, that's over two games.

The Bills will need much more from the 24-year-old on Monday night, and it's up to Josh Allen to get him involved, especially when Diggs is unavailable. Simply put, Buffalo needs the Gabe Davis we've seen in the postseason, the guy who gets a little more aggressive and has averaged 21.5 yards per catch and scored six touchdowns in seven postseason appearances.

The Bills need that Gabe Davis. And if they get him, they'll have a much better shot at kicking off the 2023 campaign with a win.