TNF: Patriots vs Bills Prediction and Game Thread

Dec 2, 2022 - 1:04 AM

Thursday Night Football, Week 13. The playoff picture is coming into focus now in week 13 of the NFL season. Tonight the New England Patriots host the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are 4 point road favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

The 8-3 Buffalo Bills come into this game after barely escaping a major upset at the hands of the Detroit Lions last Sunday. The Bills have won two straight, but they have not looked like the same juggernaut ever since the New York Jets defeated them in week 9 of this season. Josh Allen hurt his elbow in that loss to the Jets and he has been a diminished player ever since. The Bills defense has also come down to earth after dominating early on in the season. The Bills have given up 23 or more points in each of the last three games after never allowing more than 21 in any of their first eight games. The Bills having become less dominant has broken the race for the AFC East crown wide open, and a loss tonight against the Patriots would put the Jets in position to take over first place in the division if the Miami Dolphins lose to the surging San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The 6-5 New England Patriots come into this game off a tough loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week. That loss halted a red hot stretch by the Patriots where they had won three straight games and five of their prior six. The Patriots field one of the best defenses in the NFL, but they have a pedestrian offense that is uncharacteristically prone to turning the ball over. The mediocre Patriots offense and the propensity for offensive turnovers has kept the Patriots from entering the NFL’s upper echelon this season. The Patriots have just two wins against winning teams this season, both coming against the New York Jets. A Patriots loss tonight would deal a huge blow to their playoff hopes and solidify the Jets’ wild card hopes, while a Patriots victory tonight would possibly put the Jets in position to take over first place in the AFC East as early as next Sunday.

The Buffalo Bills have dominated the rivalry recently, winning four of the last five games between these two teams, including multiple blowouts. The only game the Patriots managed to win against the Bills the last two years came in a blizzard where the conditions neutralized the passing game of Josh Allen. With the weather not expected to be a factor tonight I expect the Bills to continue their recent domination of the Patriots tonight. I have submitted my pick using the widget from our partners at Tallysight. You can follow all my picks throughout the season, as I prove for another season how I’m not made to be a gambler. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how bad an idea it would be to bet real money based on my picks. Don’t do it. Don’t even consider it. Make your own picks, and good luck. And if you do bet, consider using our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.