It wasn't the shock of all shocks that Buffalo Bills knocked off the Colts in Week 1. However, if this team can start off with another win over the New England Patriots, Rex Ryan will certainly have a gripe to have one of the best teams in the AFC.
WHEN THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL
It feels like forever ago at this point, but the bottom line is that the Patriots might have had the most impressive offensive display in Week 1. Tom Brady once completed 19 straight passes against the Steelers and ended up going 4-for-4 in the red zone.
Clearly, if the Patriots get into the red zone, they're going to score significantly more often than not. Rob Gronkowski had three red zone scores last week, and he's got a real potential to score 20 times in 2015.
Alas, that's not the point in this game. The point for live betting purposes is going to be whether New England gets inside the Buffalo 20, not whether it is going to score when it gets there.
The Bills did a remarkable job against the Colts last week, keeping them off the scoreboard for three quarters before giving up two TDs in the fourth.
We're not going to discount the possibility of the Buffalo's defense giving New England a lot of problems here. Ryan has a history of getting after Brady in the pocket from his days with the Jets, and the argument could be made that he has a better team around him now than he ever did in New York. That's why live bettors have to really be aware of the amount of pressure Brady is under, especially in early down situations. Third and long is a devastating down when you've got Mario Williams coming off of the edge at you, and even Brady isn't going to get away with getting into these situations all that often.
WHEN THE BUFFALO BILLS HAVE THE BALL
This is going to be a real test for Tyrod Taylor. Even though this is a man who has been around the NFL for a while, he's relatively new in live game situations in the regular season, and Bill Belichick eats quarterbacks like this for lunch. You just know that an innovative defense is going to be coming, and if Taylor seems to be confused early and often, that's going to be a cue to live bettors that the Buffalo offense is going to surely struggle.
The other big news to follow with the Bills is the injury to LeSean McCoy. He pulled a hamstring in practice on Thursday, and that could keep him out of this one. Even if he suits, the only other suitable back behind him is Karlos Williams now, and the fifth round pick out of FSU has never played in a game quite like this one if he has to be a featured back.
TREND TO TRACK
The under has cashed in six straight Buffalo games played in September. That probably isn't all that surprising of a stat when you consider the fact that the Bills haven't really ever settled on a starting quarterback over the course of the last several years.
The problem though, is that the history of this series suggests higher scoring. The Bills have scored at least 17 points in eight straight games against the Pats, while New England has scored at least 30 in six of those eight.
Still, this is a new year and new teams, and both are trending towards being lower scoring teams in 2015.
BookMaker opened the spread for this Sunday game at -1.5 in favor of the New England Patriots. The NFL odds total surfaced at 46. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. ET at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CBS.
