Raiders
vs.
Bills
Week 8
NFL Pick
10/29/17
The Raiders snapped their Four-Game losing streak with a win in their last Game where they played like many though they would this season in being a legit Super Bowl contender. They scored the 2nd most points they had on the season and one Game under .500 they rank in the middle of the pack in teams of ppg and points allowed per Game. Starting with Buffalo they do not face a sub .500 team in their next five Games.
At 5dimes sportsbook the Bills are the 2.5-point favorites with a total of 45.
The Bills are coming off an OT win where they had a little luck on their side recovering a fumble late in the extra period deep in their opponents’ territory. They have won three of their last Four Games and they are tied with the Miami Dolphins one Game back of the New England Patriots, who they still have to face twice. They are led by their run Game on offense, but the main strength of their squad is their D that ranks 4th in the league in points against.
The Raiders have covered the spread in their last five Games facing the Bills iNCluding covering in their last Four facing them in Buffalo.
In their last Game the Raiders beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-30 where they scored on the Game’s final play after it was extended by two straight KC penalties. The Raiders ranked up 505 yards in the Game even though they only had 88 rushing yards. Derek Carr had a HUGE Game passing for 417 yards with 3 TD and 0 INT and Amari Cooper had 210 receiving yards and 2 TD and Jared Cook had 107 receiving yards. DeAndre Washington led the club with only 33 rushing yards and Marshawn LyNCh, who only had nine yards on two carries is suspended in this Game.
This Game sets up well for the Oakland offense and Carr, as Buffalo only rank 20th in the league defending the pass, and were torched last week in the air, but 4th defending the run.
The Bills are coming off a 30-27 OT win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where they had fewer overall yards (447 to 434), but had three turnovers iNCluding the key one late in OT to set up the Game-winning field goal. Tyron Taylor passed for 268 yards with a TD and no INT and Deonte Thompson was his main target with 107 receiving yards. Buffalo rushed for 173 yards in the Game with LeSean McCoy leading the way with 91 yards and 2 TD and Taylor chiming in with 53 yards.
One of the key match ups in this Game will be McCoy and company squaring off against an Oakland run defense that ranks 21st in the league, but held the Chiefs to only 94 rushing yards.
The Raiders are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road Games, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Games overall, and in their last 7 road Games the Under record is 6-1.
The Bills are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 Games overall, 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 home Games, and in their last 16 home Games the Over record is 13-3.
Jason’s Pick: While many of the betting trends points to the Bills in this one I have to take the Raiders. I think their win over the Chiefs last week will jump start their offense and Carr and company will have a big Game. Not only will the Raiders cover in Buffalo, but they will get the W as well getting back to .500 and back in the AFC West race.