After notching a Christmas Eve “W” on Sunday night in Denver, the Patriots are headed on the road once again, this time on New Year’s Eve, for their Week 17 contest vs. the Bills.
Here are the betting odds for the contest, according to our exclusive wagering partners at FanDuel Sportsbook:
Odds – Patriots vs. Bills
Spread: Bills -11.5
Moneyline: Bills -670/Patriots +490
Total: O/U 40.5
Storylines
“Alright, so, moving on to Buffalo here,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said on Wednesday morning when previewing the Bills. “Obviously, this is a really good football team… You look at what they’ve done over the past few years – just what they’ve done at home, wins, divisions, offense, defense, special teams, well-balanced team, well-coached team… It looks like they’re getting a couple more guys back. They’re playing well and doing it at the right time for them. So, big challenge for us this week. We’ll get to work on them here today and be ready to roll out there on Sunday.”
The Bills come into this one winners of three straight after a 6-6 start, and are now entrenched in the sixth seed in the AFC playoff picture with a chance to win their decision down the stretch. Quarterback Josh Allen looks to have found a new life under a new play-caller in Joe Brady.
As for New England, they come into this one winners of two out of their last three and, while this week’s reporting suggests that head coach Bill Belichick has “expressed doubt” about his future with the team, his players seem to be playing their tails off for him.
Sitting at 3-11 heading into last Sunday night’s Christmas Eve contest, the Patriots could have easily rolled over and died. Instead? They rallied together and fought ’til the end, giving their head coach more ammo when the inevnitable conversation with ownership takes place between now and the end of this season.
Predictions and Picks
Still, while the Patriots and their offense have some momentum here, I think Sunday’s test in Buffalo will be too much. The Bills are red hot, and though it doesn’t seem to matter to New England, are palying for a lot more right now with playoff implications and seeding on the line.
Buffalo wins by 10+ at home, and Zappe’s performances comes back to earth after a stellar performance in Denver.
Score: Bills 24 – Patriots 13
Side: Bills -11.5
Total: UNDER 40.5
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick and head to FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook, for all of your sports wagering.
