It’s been a tougher road for the Buffalo Bills than anyone imagined at the start of the NFL season. They’re not finding the level of success on the field they expected and hope to figure out what they’ve been doing wrong as they face the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.
After their fall as the favorites to win the AFC, the Bills (8-3) will try to get their house in order before entering the final stretch of the regular season. The Bills were initially first at +600 on DraftKings to win the Super Bowl, but are now second behind the Kansas City Chiefs.
A victory tonight is essential for the Bills to keep pace with the Miami Dolphins for the AFC East lead. As Week 13 gets underway, there’s no more room for mistakes.
Pats Ready To Dig In
The Pats occupy the last place in the AFC East, with a record of 6-5. They have a difficult task ahead if they want to find a place in the playoffs. If the Patriots don’t want to stray too far from the wild card spot, a home win against the Bills is a way to stay alive.
| Bills | Patriots | |
| Moneyline | -188 | +158 |
| Spread | -4 (-110) | +4 (-110) |
| Over/under | O43.5 (-110) | U43.5 (-110) |
| Courtesy of FanDuel |
This game could help decide the AFC East standings, with all teams in the division separated by only two games. The Fins are in front at 8-3, and a five-game winning streak, and the Pats bring up the rear.
The Bills and Pats played on Thanksgiving, but with very different results. Buffalo beat the Detroit Lions in a close finish, while the Patriots recorded a loss at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings.
Bills QB Josh Allen has played through an injury in his right elbow, which is impacting his performance. He was injured late in the team’s Week 9 loss to the New York Jets, and has been inconsistent in the past three games.
The Patriots, on the other hand, have shown some signs of the team they used to be. They may have come up short against the Vikings, but had moments of greatness. QB Mac Jones passed for 382 yards and 2 TDs on 39 attempts, putting up career-high numbers in his second year in the NFL.
New England lost both of its games to the Bills last season by scores of 33-21 and 47-17. They exited the playoffs due to a loss to Buffalo, and will be out for revenge tonight.
Allen has played very well against the Patriots in recent years, going 4-1 in the last five games. However, his injury could play a role in how well the Pats do against their rivals tonight.
Read Between The Lines
This game will be a chance for Jones to show what he’s really capable of. The Bills are going to come at him from all angles, which means he’s going to have to be a lot more flexible than he has been in the past.
Being flexible is something that Allen, with five years in the league, has learned to do well. He knows how and when to scramble, and has proven that he’s not afraid to run with the ball.
The lines are extremely close for this game and, if it were any other time, the Pats might be able to pull off an upset. However, linebacker Von Miller is out for the defense and the offense will miss both running back Damien Harris and tackle Isaiah Wynn.
The Patriots rank ninth in terms of yards allowed both in the air and on the ground. On the other side, the Bills are third in the NFL in passing yards and eighth in rushing.
Buffalo’s going to get the away victory today to continue to look at taking down the AFC. Both teams have seen the over hit in five of their last 10 games, and today’s matchup should tip the scales in favor of the over.
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