Henry Roldán
NFL Week 13 will bring the curtain up with a first-class Thursday Night Football: the divisional showdown between Bills vs Patriots.
By narrowly defeating the Lions by a score of 28-25, Buffalo added its second straight victory, while New England snapped a run of three straight victories after losing 26-33 to the Vikings. Today, JefeBet brings you the crucial AFC East matchup between the Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots.
Predictions and Betting Preview for the Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots NFL Week 13 Game on December 1, 2022
- Where: Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, Massachusetts.
- When: Thursday, December 1, 2022, 8:15 PM E.T.
Odds provided by BetMGM.
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Betting on the Buffalo Bills
A victory on Thursday is essential if the Bills are to maintain their lead over the Dolphins in the battle for first place in the AFC East. They haven’t been the dominant team that everyone anticipated to win the AFC East with ease.
Josh Allen is in charge of Buffalo’s offense, which is one of the finest in the league because of their ability to run and throw with fearsome efficiency. The Bills are second on the team in average yards per play with 6.3, have the second most passing TDs with 23 and average 5.3 yards per carry, the third-best figure in the circuit. Their problem is that they are the second team with the most turnovers (19).
Even though no opponent has scored less than 23 points against them in the last three games, their defense still ranks among the best in the NFL. Since they only manage to score touchdowns on 48.6% of trips within their own 20-yard line, the Bills’ success is mostly due to their exceptional effectiveness at stopping opponents in the red zone. As the second defense with the most stolen balls (20), they not only lose a lot of balls, but also recover them.
However, the defense could be affected thanks to the absence of Von Miller, one of the most important elements within their defense. With a knee injury with no clear diagnosis yet, the linebacker will definitely be a sensitive casualty for the Bills.
Betting on the New England Patriots
If the Patriots don’t want to move much further away from the wild card spots and even the AFC East lead, a win at home against the Bills is imperative for Bill Belichick’s team.
Despite allowing 33 points to the Vikings the previous week, New England’s defense has been the key to success this season. The 202 points conceded are the sixth fewest in the league, they have only conceded 188 first chances to their opponents, the second fewest in the circuit, and they have only conceded four rushing touchdowns. Moreover, as usual in Belichick’s teams, order is a priority: they are the team that has committed the fewest defensive penalties (43).
The issues originate on the offensive side. Their 188 first downs are the second-fewest in the league, they average only 4.0 yards per rush, their quarterbacks have thrown 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions so far this season, and their 17 turnovers rank fourth in the league.
JefeBet Prediction
Although the Patriots are a constant threat, they falter in the face of strong opponents like the Bills. Why? Because they lack a potent offense; in this way, they must rely solely on their defense to play well and stifle the opposition’s offense.
Buffalo has not been at its best, but only twice have they scored less than 20 points, so New England will have to improve offensively to even things up. Add to that the fact that Buffalo has a 3-0-1 record betting against the spread in the Bills’ past four home games versus the Patriots, and a 5-2-1 record in the last eight meetings between the two teams.
Prediction: Bills spread (BUF 27 – NE 20).
