The Buffalo Bills are heavily favored to win their upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints at Highmark Stadium, with odds makers setting a 16-point spread in Buffalo’s favor. The game is scheduled for Sunday at 1 pm and will be broadcast on CBS.
Buffalo comes into the matchup with several notable streaks and records. The team has won 13 consecutive regular season home games and has scored over 30 points in 12 of the last 13 games where quarterback Josh Allen has attempted at least one pass. Head coach Sean McDermott holds a record of 21-7 against first-year coaches. The Saints, meanwhile, are attempting to avoid their first 0-4 start since 2012.
Several analysts have weighed in on the expected outcome:
Jason Logan from Covers.com noted, “This is a beefy ask on the outright price, with Buffalo listed as a -1500 moneyline favorite. That means you’d need to wager $1,500 to win $100. Too expensive for my blood.” He added, “That price tag comes with an implied win probability of 93.75%. The Bills are rested and ready after a mini bye and should cruise to an easy win.” Logan predicts a final score of Buffalo 29, New Orleans 13.
Pete Prisco from CBS Sports commented on the scheduling challenges for the Saints: “This is back-to-back road trips across the country for the Saints, while the Bills will be rested for 10 days having played on a Thursday. That’s a brutal combination. But the Bills are also the best team in the league. This is going to be ugly. Josh Allen lights up the Saints.” His pick: Bills 35, Saints 10.
Mike Florio and Chris Simms from Pro Football Talk provided their predictions as well:
Florio: “Bills 24, Saints 14.”
Simms: “Bills 34, Saints 17.”
Vinnie Iyer from Sporting News said, “The Saints don’t have much of a run defense or downfield passing game. That plays right into the hands of Josh Allen and James Cook as Buffalo rolls a non-conference foe at home.” He expects Buffalo to win by covering the spread.
Bill Bender from Sporting News observed that while Buffalo did not cover its previous double-digit spread against a division rival, New Orleans struggled significantly in its last outing. He stated that NFL teams have generally not performed well against large spreads this season but pointed out that Buffalo allows significant rushing yards per game.
ESPN reports that despite being large favorites according to ESPN BET, Buffalo’s approach remains consistent regardless of opponent strength. Quarterback Josh Allen said he expects strong effort from New Orleans: “They want to win as badly as anybody in the league right now. And again, there’s no easy games in this league.” However, injuries may impact Buffalo’s lineup as defensive tackle Ed Oliver, linebacker Matt Milano and right tackle Spencer Brown could miss Sunday’s game.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore expressed continued confidence in quarterback Spencer Rattler despite his ongoing search for his first NFL victory: “It’s frustrating because Spencer hasn’t been able to get a win in this league, and he’s earned it and he deserves it. He’s done so much good,” Moore said.
According to ESPN Research, Buffalo has gone eight straight games without committing a turnover—a mark tied with last year’s Kansas City Chiefs for longest such streak since official stats began in 1933.
Fantasy analysts note that running back James Cook could benefit from facing New Orleans’ struggling run defense behind an offensive line leading the league in run block win rate (76.6%).
Bleacher Report contributors were split on whether Buffalo would cover such a large point spread but generally agreed that Buffalo would likely secure another victory at home given its recent performance trends.
NFL.com’s analysis suggested that while there are some statistical weaknesses for Buffalo—such as struggles defending quick throws—the overall talent gap between these teams makes an upset unlikely: “Simply put, a Saints win in Buffalo on Sunday would amount to one of the biggest upsets in NFL history.”
The consensus among national media is clear: most expect another convincing home victory for Buffalo against New Orleans.
