New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills: Week 8 Game Analysis
Will the Patriots burn NFL online betting markets again? It’s their last stand for a crack at the AFC East title as New England travels to Buffalo. Before making any picks, read our Patriots vs Bills Week 8 betting analysis and check out the early lines at the BetUS sportsbook.
Game: New England Patriots (2-4) at Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Location: Bills Stadium Time: 1:00 p.m. ET Television: CBS |
Patriots vs Bills Week 8 Betting Analysis: Betting Lines
Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under | Team Total |
Patriots | +3½ | +170 | 43 | 20 |
Bills | -3½ | -200 | 43 | 23 |
Head to Head
Does Bill Belichick’s lifetime record of 35-5 against the Buffalo Bills really matter? (It is funny that two of those five losses were shutouts.) Can you possibly feel good about his 57% record in covering the spread in those games? We’re back in a strange place not seen since 2002, the last time the Patriots lost four games in a row. That was a weird year as well; the Jets won the division.
New England Patriots
Betting Record
Team | Record | ATS | Home ATS | Away ATS | Fave ATS | ATS Dog |
O/U |
Patriots | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-2 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 0-2 | 2-4 |
Next game: at New York Jets
Last Game
Punt. Field goal, set up off an interception. Interception. Punt. Interception. Field goal. Interception. Interception. End of game.
There you have it: New England’s nine offensive drive results in its shattering 6-33 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Four picks off of nine drives. What has become of Cam Newton? What about the defense that allowed 7.4 yards per play? Or the corners, the supposed good aspect of that defense, that allowed 10.4 yards (!) per passing play?
Despite what could be an endless series of rhetorical questions hinged off bad statistics — did they really go one for six on third down? — bettors just aren’t able to quit the Pats.
Read more on this NFL Week 7 matchup between the Patriots and 49ers.
Injury Report
Already a potential mess, New England emerges from their defeat with a bunch of new question marks on defense. Almost certainly lost now is OLB Brandon Copeland who reportedly tore his pectoral in Sunday’s game. In addition, WR N’Keal Harry and DT Lawrence Guy both left the game early. Harry’s injury to his head seems more severe.
We’re not done. Starting LG Joe Thuney wasn’t able to finish the game Sunday, and his replacement Justin Herron got knocked out in the fourth quarter. On the plus side, that meant backup guard Hjalte Froholdt took snaps. That’s only a positive because his name is fun to type. In reality, New England might have an O-line crisis on their hands that’ll show as the practice week begins.
Learn what’s happened in NFL injury news and more since game day.
Buffalo Bills
Betting Record
Team | Record | ATS | Home ATS | Away ATS | Fave ATS | Dog ATS | O/U |
Bills | 5-2 | 3-4 | 2-1 | 1-3 | 3-3 | 0-1 | 5-2 |
Next game: vs Seattle Seahawks
Last Game
Bettors didn’t expect the Bills to come out and clobber the Jets last Sunday. The point spread which had been as high as +13½ for the New York Jets was bought down to +10 by kickoff. Nobody expected the Bills to spot the Jets ten points to start either, but that’s what happened in this NFL matchup.
The Jets then allowed a whopping six field goals against them. (It could’ve been eight; Tyler Bass missed two of them.) Not another point was scored. The under, bet down slightly to a total of 45½, was laughing all the way to the bank.
Injury Report
Safety Micah Hyde absolutely laid out Breshad Periman late in the fourth quarter knocking both of them out of the game. His status isn’t known and won’t be made clear until Wednesday’s practice.
The Bills have activated Jon Feliciano from the PUP list, and he could return to center duties as early as this week, but the practice schedule should clarify that.
Patriots vs Bills Week 8 Betting Analysis: Betting on the Game
Point Spread
Oh, mercy, the wiseguy sharpies that move the market early in the week just can’t get enough of the Patsies. To be fair, it is hard to expect to be clobbered a fourth consecutive time, but it’s a confusing line move considering New England’s potentially riddled with O-line injuries and the fact that their lead receiver going into practice on Wednesday is Damiere Byrd. Yet, they took all the +4 the sportsbooks would give. The line now sits at 3½.
Moneyline
Of course, so too did the moneyline come down on the Pats, from about +185 to +170. You can’t wager online moves, but we’d bet that’s as low as it gets if Wednesday’s practice report shows all those players listed above not participating.
Over/Under
Someone’s finger seemed to slip, and this game posted a total of 46 for about one hot second. The actual number available to humans (and not robots) was 44, and that’s been bet down to 43 now. Without an injury profile, there’s no telling where this one is going, but it might be safe to assume it won’t go back above 46.