The Buffalo Bills entered a new era under new owner Terry Pegula on Sunday. Unfortunately, the new owner had to sit through a 37-22 loss to the New England Patriots. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings were handed a loss by NFC North leaders, the Detroit Lions.
This is just one game in a slate that has some great ones this week. Check out our complete picks and predictions for Week 7 of the 2014 NFL season. You can also check out our preview for the primetime game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos.
[sc:Football ]Minnesota Vikings vs. Buffalo Bills Preview
Where: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo
When: Sunday, October 19, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Minnesota Vikings (+4) at Buffalo Bills (-4); total 43.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings lost 17-3 to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, and are now 2-4 ATS this season.
Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had a tough day against the best defense he has seen in his young NFL career. He was under constant pressure throughout the whole game as he was sacked eight times. He finished with 188 yards and three interceptions.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Nevertheless, Bridgewater may have more success passing against the Bills’ pass defense, which allows 269.2 yards per game. His first game as a starting quarterback pitted him against a Falcons defense which surrenders over 250 passing yards per game. Bridgewater went 19-for-30 for 317 yards against the Falcons, while adding 27 yards and a touchdown on five carries.
The rookie QB has connected well with leading receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Jennings. Wright caught a 52-yard pass against Atlanta to finish with eight catches for 132 yards, while Jennings caught three passes for 72 yards. Bridgewater and his receiving corps should be able to challenge the Bills’ secondary, which has allowed six passes of 40 or more yards (tied for third in the NFL).
On the ground, Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon may have difficulty running the ball past the Bills’ front seven. The Bills limited Houston and Miami (two of the top running teams with a combined 132.4 yards per game) to 80 and 37 yards on the ground, respectively.
McKinnon was impressive last week as he was shifty in the open field and showcased power to run over defenders despite being limited to 40 yards on 11 carries against Detroit. Meanwhile, Asiata is a constant threat in the red zone as all three of his touchdowns have been on runs of six yards or less.
On the other side of the ball, the Vikings pass defense is one of the best in the league. The Vikings have limited opponents to 213.8 yards per game, while their pass rush has been effective with 14 sacks this season. Half of the sacks came from defensive linemen Everson Griffen (four) and Tom Johnson (three). The two should be able to beat a porous Bills offensive line which allowed seven sacks in back-to-back games started by quarterback Kyle Orton.
The Vikings are 1-9-1 in road games since 2013.
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Betting on the Buffalo Bills
Veteran quarterback Kyle Orton has given the Bills a chance to win in his last two starts. He has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 607 yards and three touchdowns. However, he also threw an interception in each of his two starts. Orton now takes on another tough defense to crack in the Minnesota Vikings. The Bills are 2-0 ATS against NFC teams this season.
Leading rookie receiver Sammy Watkins was shut down by Patriots cornerback Darelle Revis. His assignment won’t figure to get much easier in Week 7 against the Vikings, who limit opponents to 213.8 yards per game. Still, Watkins managed seven catches for 87 yards against a tight Detroit defense, and he’ll be able to make crucial catches outside Revis Island.
Regardless of Watkins’ output, this Buffalo offense remains run-first. Running back Fred Jackson has run the ball well with 4.5 yards per carry and a touchdown against the Patriots. However, C.J. Spiller has mostly been ineffective in the past two games. He ran for 19 yards on six carries against the Pats in addition to losing a fumble and managed eight yards on 10 attempts against Detroit.
On the other side of the ball, the Bills’ run defense (first in the nation allowing 67.5 yards per game) remained impressive against the Patriots. They allowed an average of 1.9 yards on 27 carries. They should be able to limit the Vikings’ running game for most of the contest. However, doing so may leave them open to bombs from Bridgewater.
The total has gone under in five of the Bills’ six games this season.
Writer’s Prediction
Teddy Bridgewater has another explosive outing. The Vikings cover +4 and win outright as underdogs.
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