The Panthers are at home in this one and looked better in the first week. They will be solid favorites to move to 2-0 on the season as they look to get back to the 2015 form which got them to the Super Bowl. The Bills dominated on the ground against the Jets but Carolina’s defensive front is better and that will be an interesting matchup to watch.
This matchup in Week 2 of the regular season will take place on Sunday, September 17, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Buffalo Bills +7
Carolina Panthers -7
Over/Under 42
Odds Analysis
After an impressive opening game, the Panthers have built up some momentum. Even though they are touchdown favorites, 75 percent of the early money is on them to cover. The scoring total is listed at 42 points, and while it’s still early, thus far the vast majority of the action has jumped on the “over” for this matchup.
Injury Report
E.J. Gaines -- The Bills cornerback suffered a shoulder injury against the Jets and didn’t return. The Panthers aren’t a prolific passing team, but Cam Newton has a big arm and will test the opponent’s cover men from time to time. Buffalo traded cornerback Ronald Darby this offseason and lost Stephon Gilmore in free agency, so an injury to Gaines could impact next week’s game.
Newton -- Carolina’s quarterback had shoulder surgery this offseason, and while he played in the opener, Newton did look rusty. He hopes that the timing will be back in this one as the Bills could be a tougher test.
Matchup to Watch
LeSean McCoy vs. Luke Kuechly -- The Buffalo running back is one of the most electrifying players in the NFL. McCoy had 22 carries for 110 yards against the Jets and if he can average 5.0 yards per carry in this one it will give the Bills a fighting chance.
Kuechly is one of the elite inside linebackers in the game. He has great range and an instinct to make plays. If he can help bottle up McCoy, it will force quarterback Tyrod Taylor to go to the air for the Bills, and that is not the team’s strength.
Kuechly missed a big chunk of last year because of a concussion but is back healthy now and will play a large role in the team’s fortunes. The Panthers’ pass defense struggled a season ago, and so the run defense must be spot-on here or else the Bills will be able to have balance and keep Carolina guessing, which often leads to issues.
Free ATS Pick
The Panthers are a Jekyll and Hyde team, so every time one believes they are going to cruise to a win, they make enough mistakes to keep it close or get upset. Newton wasn’t great in the opener but should improve in this one, and he has an exciting new rookie in running back Christian McCaffrey.
The Bills’ fate will come down to how well they run the ball. The duo of McCoy and Taylor is tough to stop, and Buffalo should be able to rack up the yards in this one. The Panthers are a solid favorite but this one should be a back-and-forth affair.
While Carolina should eke out a victory, it’s not going to be pretty. Choose the Panthers on the moneyline but Buffalo to cover this spread. The “under” is the right call even though most are choosing the “over” on the scoring total.
NFL Odds: Panthers 21, Bills 17
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