Buffalo’s dream of ending their 15-year postseason barren run is still very much alive after they stunned the Green Bay Packers in a monumental upset Sunday. They will look to carry the momentum from that huge win when they face the Oakland Raiders this coming Sunday.
Although the Raiders are sitting at the bottom of the team standings with a 2-12 slate, it won’t be a walk in the park for the Bills as some would expect. Just ask the 49ers and the Chiefs who have fallen victim to Oakland’s giant-killing ways in their last two home games.
Who will emerge victorious in this pivotal NFL matchup? Read on for a complete preview of this showdown and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of Patriots vs. Jets and Packers vs. Bucs.
[sc:Football ]Buffalo Bills vs. Oakland Raiders Betting Preview
When: Sunday, December 21, 4:25 PM ET
Where: O.co Coliseum, Oakland
Line: Buffalo Bills (-6) at Oakland Raiders (+6); total: 39.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Buffalo Bills
Let’s add Aaron Rodgers to the list of Hall of Fame quarterbacks put to shame by Buffalo’s relentless defense.
[sc:NFL240banner ]A week after holding Peyton Manning to a 56.9 passer rating – his worst mark since 2008–the Bills’ defense was at it again Sunday as they stopped Aaron Rodgers right on his tracks to help Buffalo grab an all-important 21-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers. The win keeps Buffalo right in the playoff picture with two games remaining in their schedule.
The Bills will fancy their chances of sweeping their last two assignments because of the way they’re playing on the defensive end. They are fourth in the NFL in scoring defense (18.1 PPG) and have limited their opponents to just 313.4 yards in total offense, the fifth-best mark in the league this season.
They have been excellent, particularly in their last two games where they have managed to stop the league’s two leading offensive teams in Denver and Green Bay. Last week, they ended Peyton’s Manning 51-game touchdown streak in a 24-17 loss to the Denver Broncos.
This week, they were even better as they held Aaron Rodgers to just 185 yards (17-of-42) with no touchdowns and two interceptions. It was the first time this season that Rodgers has failed to complete a touchdown pass in a game. It was also the first time in Rodgers’ stellar career that he has finished a game without a touchdown and two picks.
So what makes this Buffalo defense tick? It all starts with their pressure on the opposing quarterback. The Bills have racked up an impressive 48 sacks this season, the best mark in the NFL. Prior to their Week 15 clash with the Packers, they have held opposing quarterbacks to the league’s second-lowest Total QBR (Quarterback Rating) mark this year.
They will be licking their chops at the prospect of facing an Oakland defensive line that allowed Derek Carr to be sacked four times in their game Sunday against the Chiefs. That’s not good news for Carr, who’s 30th among starting quarterbacks in the passing department with an average of 207.0 yards per game.
The Bills are 4-2 ATS on the road this season.
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Betting on the Oakland Raiders
Oakland’s road woes just wouldn’t go away.
The Raiders’ nightmarish season took another turn for the worse Sunday as they were thrashed by the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-13. The Raiders have now lost all of their seven away games this season. It was also the second time this year that the Raiders have followed up a victory with an absolute stinker. They have been outscored 83-13 in games following their two wins this season.
A main problem for the Raiders this season has been their consistency and that was pretty much evident in their game against the Chiefs. They were outmatched by the Chiefs in every facet of the game Sunday, particularly their passing defense which allowed Kansas City to rack up a total of 295 passing yards.
That’s uncharacteristic of Oakland, whose secondary defense is one of the league’s best this season. They are eighth in the league in passing defense, allowing 209.7 yards per game. They will need to address that particular problem against a Buffalo side that is 17th in the NFL in passing touchdowns with 19 to their name this season.
Fortunately for the Raiders, they will have the benefit of having home-field advantage on their side this coming Sunday. The Raiders have played extremely well at home lately, winning their last two games at O.co Coliseum by an average of 7.5 points.
Key to their success at home lately has been their improved efficiency on third-down opportunities. In their first win against the Chiefs a month ago, they converted eight of 16 third-down opportunities for an impressive 50 percent clip. They were at it again a week ago in their victory against the 49ers where the Raiders completed 6 of 13 third-down chances.
Those conversions are vital since it helps keep the momentum of the Oakland offense. They’re averaging 340.5 yards per game in total offense in their last two home assignments, way above their season average of 283.5 YPG, the worst mark in the NFL.
The Raiders are 3-4 ATS at home this season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Bills edge past the Raiders but Oakland (+6) covers.
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