There are seven bets for three games on Thanksgiving.
Most people who read the weekly best bets know my rules. One of the rules is don’t just bet to bet. Another rule is don’t bet every game because it’s impossible to make money. Well, there is one day — in the regular season since we have to bet every playoff game that is an exception to that rule and that’s Thanksgiving day. There’s nothing better than waking up with a wager on the early game followed by constantly checking your phone during the Thanksgiving meal — insert drunk Uncle joke here because everyone makes one. The obvious next move is to fade in and out of sleep in the afternoon watching football on the couch and moving to a nice adult beverage and the night game to wrap up a beautiful football filled Thursday.
As usual, the home teams are in CAPS, and we are using Bet MGM for our odds. Games will be listed at -110 unless denoted otherwise.
Buffalo Bills podcast following Week 12 in over Denver Broncos, ahead of Thanksgiving meetings vs. Cowboys.
The Buffalo Bills won their second straight game to improve to 8-3 on the season for the first time since 1996. It was a remarkable game, with the team displaying proficiency in all three phases of football that put up points and yardage on a top defense, halting a strong run offense, and did it’s job on special teams.
Denver had played much better than it’s record until this point, and they hit an absolute brick wall at New Era Field. The Bills defense only allowed 167 yards of total offense in Week 12. Buffalo downed talented running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman. In fact, it seemed that Broncos play calling didn’t aim to target Buffalo’s sketchy run defense in the second half, as they became very pass happy and one-dimensional.
In the Broncos closest venture towards the end zone, they could not get the job done as Tre’Davious White was essentially handed an interception and a broken route intended for Courtland Sutton, who was held for one catch in the outing.
The offense did well, aside from a bad Josh Allen interception that gave Denver some of the best field positioning that they had all day. 244 yards on the ground, again dominated by Devin Singletary.
However, the big news was that, Frank Gore, the journeyman running back, passed Barry Sanders to become third all-time in rushing yards. A tremendous accomplishment, and extra satisfying that it happened with him wearing a Bills jersey.
Buffalo prepares for Dallas on a short week for this Thursday, as the Bills play their first Thanksgiving game in several years. The quick turnaround has affected many teams this year, not being allowed to play to their full potential. Everyone is already hard at work at One Bills Drive to ensure the Bills are prepared for their latest National Spotlight opportunity.
Podcast Hosts Matt and Jeremy examine the win over Denver, and the road to Dallas:
Following Week 12’s 20-3 Bills victory over the Broncos, cornerback Chris Harris no longer seemed to want to joke around when it came to discussing Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Despite Thanksgiving being only a few days away, one Denver player is eating a bit of crow rather than turkey on Sunday.
Following Week 12’s 20-3 Bills victory over the Broncos, cornerback Chris Harris no longer seemed to want to joke around when it came to discussing Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
“If I can give him a little advice… I don’t want to actually,” Harris said with a grin and chuckle. “I’m going to say all positive about him today.”
Perhaps it was best that Harris kept that advice to himself, as he ended up getting beat on a 34-yard deep throw from Allen to wide receiver John Brown, that put the Bills up 20-3 in the third quarter:
“That [expletive] is over with now,” Harris said straight faced in front of his locker.
When asked about the throw that beat him, Harris dismissed it as more of his error, than it being a great play by Allen, or Brown.
“They had run that play like 10 times,” Harris said. “I was just pressing, trying to make a play for our team… so, that’s all it was.”
When John Brown was asked about the TD score, he seemed to sing a different tune.
“He’s a great DB, he reads concepts,” Brown said after the game.
“Every time we came to the flat, you know, he was jumping inside preparing for the slant, or the curl route. I went to the coaches and I told them, you know, double move and you know it was a great call, at the right time.”
While the win put the Bills at 8-3 for the first time since 1996, quieting a player that talked some smack before the game had to be the cherry on top.
As Jalen Ramsey learned first-hand last season, if you’re a DB going up against Allen and the Bills, you might be better off saving the trash talk for after the game.
The 7-3 Buffalo Bills meet the 3-7 Denver Broncos this Sunday at New Era Field. Buffalo is riding high after it’s best offensive endeavor of the season against the Dolphins in Week 11. Denver is one of the better teams in the NFL with a sub .500 record, and will be a handful to compete against.
Here is everything that you need to know about the history between Denver and Buffalo:
Buffalo and Denver first met on September 18, 1960 in the inaugural season of the AFL. Denver won that game 27-21.
Buffalo won nine straight against Denver between 1962 and 1967.
Buffalo and Denver met in the 1991 AFC Championship Game. The Bills narrowly defeated the Broncos 10-7.
Their last meeting was on September 24, 2017. The Bills won 26-16.
The Bills have the all-time record lead, at 20-16-1 against Denver in the regular season.
The Bills also lead in scoring all-time versus Denver, outscoring them 891-818
2018 Season
Denver, much like this year, was a relatively competitive team in 2018, despite their record. Case Keenum was signed in the offseason, in hopes to solidify their quarterback woes since Peyton Manning retired. It wasn’t enough, as the Broncos offense didn’t have a lot of star power, and the defense, although very talented, gave up some losses for them.
Denver finished the season 6-10, missing the playoffs for the third-straight year. They earned wins over Seattle, Arizona, Oakland, Cincinnati, Los Angeles (Chargers), and Pittsburgh.
Another disappointing season for General Manager John Elway, who would look to bring about more change following the 2018 year.
Last season, Denver finished 19th in Total Offense, with 5,602 yards. 24th in scoring, with 329 points. 19th in passing yards with 3,695 and 12th in rushing with 1,907 yards.
Case Keenum, coming off of his miracle season with the Minnesota Vikings, actually threw for a few more yards with Denver. His touchdown to interception ratio is what hurt him and his tenure, as he was traded to Washington after his year with the Broncos was over.
Keenum was ranked 14th in passing yards in 2018, with 3,890 yards to his credit, along with 18 touchdowns to 15 interceptions.
Rushing was a strong point for Denver in 2018,. After losing C.J. Anderson, who had regressed, quarterback wasn’t the only hole that the Broncos faced. Led by drafted rookie Royce Freeman, and undrafted rookie Philip Lindsay. One of the more underrated one-two punches in the NFL, the pair finished very well, and helped carry struggling offense.
Lindsay finished the highest as far as yardage, ranking ninth in the NFL amongst rushers, with 1,037 yards. He also accrued nine rushing touchdowns. His backfield partner, Freeman, finished 38th in rushing yards, with 521 and five touchdowns.
Receiving hasn’t been one of Denver’s strong aspects either, as they have lost a few weapons over the years since Manning left. Emmanuel Sanders was their leading receiver in 2018, finishing 27th with 868 yards and four touchdowns.
Emerging receiver Courtland Sutton, was next in yardage totals at the receiver position, with 704. He came in at 51st in the NFL. No other Broncos receiver or tight end finished in the Top 100.
Defensively, the Broncos were 13th in total defense, allowing 5,842 yards, as well as in points allowed with 349 points scored on them. Their passing defense came in 20th, giving up 3,929 yards by air. The rush defense, 12th with 1,913 yards given up on the ground.
With a sizzling slate of games ahead for the Buffalo Bills, the Denver Broncos’ defense poses a challenge for Josh Allen and the Bills.
When the Denver Broncos take the field against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field this Sunday, Bills fans will expect a victory.
The team is beaming with confidence after their second-year quarterback, Josh Allen, earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his four-touchdown performance in a 37-20 victory in Miami in Week 11. The team is sitting at 7-3 and are on a trajectory towards postseason football for the second time in three seasons.
Any young western New Yorker is seeing what many Buffalo fans saw throughout the ’90s – consistent winning brought on by a quarterback with rare talent.
The Bills are undoubtedly entering the gauntlet of their schedule. Just two of the six opponents remaining on the team’s slate is below .500 in the standings with the three of the other four sitting in playoff spots. That fourth is the Pittsburgh Steelers who are currently “in the hunt.”
The remaining six games feature opponents who currently sit in the upper echelon of the NFL. The Bills go on the road to New England and Dallas, plus they will face a hot Baltimore team at home. This Sunday’s game versus the Denver Broncos is also nothing to sniff at.
Denver is currently 3-7 but their record is in no way indicative of the team they are. The Broncos have lost four very winnable games in the fourth quarter this season, each in a style that feels painfully familiar for Buffalo fans.
In Week 2 against the Chicago Bears, the Broncos lost 16-14 on a last-second field goal. Had that field goal been unsuccessful, Denver would have started the year 1-1. A few plays before the field goal attempt, Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb was incorrectly penalized for roughing the passer.
In Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver lost 26-24 on a late field goal. Had that attempt been unsuccessful, the Broncos could have started the year 2-2. Denver outside linebacker Von Miller was questionably penalized for roughing the passer on Jacksonville’s game-winning drive.
In Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts, the Broncos lost 15-13 on yet another late field goal. Had those three late-game kicks been unsuccessful, Denver could have started the year 5-3.
In Week 11, the Broncos were in position to take a 30-27 lead over the Minnesota Vikings on the road but quarterback Brandon Allen was unable to connect with tight end Noah Fant in the end zone on the final play of the game. Denver lost 27-23. Had Fant caught that pass and had those three kicks mentioned earlier gone wide, the Broncos could have started the year 7-3.
What wasn’t mentioned about the team’s Week 8 loss to the Colts was the incredible play by Indianapolis quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, in the endzone to escape the gripe of a near Von Miller safety. He completed that pass near midfield to T.Y. Hilton and the drive lead to the game-winning 51-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri. I’d recommend checking that play out here.
The comparison to the Bills of old doesn’t end there. Denver’s poor record has largely overshadowed a stellar defense. The Broncos are top-10 in many defensive categories. They’re fourth in total yards per game allowed, fifth in passing yards per game, eighth in point per game, and 11th in rushing yards per game.
While Sunday seems like a calm before the storm for Buffalo regarding their upcoming schedule, Denver is a worthy opponent and could pose issues for the Bills if they’re caught thinking about Thanksgiving in Dallas next Thursday.
Buffalo Bills K Stephen Hauschka lands on Pro Football Focus Team of the Week.
Good thing the Bills didn’t act rash in regard to kicker Stephen Hauschka.
After missing two kicks including a potential game-tying kick from 53 yards in Week 10 against the Browns, Hauschka has landed on Pro Football Focus‘ Team of the Week a week later.
Hauschka was a perfect 3-for-3 on place kicks and 4-for-4 on extra-point attempts against the Dolphins in a 37-20 win in Week 11. Hauschka’s first kick was from 51 yards after missing his last five attempts from 50 yards or longer prior to that.
His other attempts were converted from 34 and 21 yards.
Of Buffalo’s 37 points, Hauschka accounted for 13 of them.
In terms of his overall season, Hauschka is ranked as PFF’s 18th best kicker in the NFL after his early-season struggles.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week by the NFL for his performance against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11.
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week by the NFL for his performance against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11.
Allen racked up four touchdowns in Buffalo’s win over Miami in Week 11, helping his team rise to 7-3 on the season. That brought Allen to 20 total touchdowns this season, third-most among quarterback in the AFC.
In the air, Allen had 256 passing yards on 21-of-33 passing. Three of his scores were passes, including two to wideout John Brown. On the ground, Allen added another 56 yards rushing with a score.
His passer rating of 117.7 for the game was a career-high.
It’s the second time Allen has earned the award after landing it in the team’s season finale of his rookie season. A game which also included the Dolphins.
The AFC playoff picture features the Ravens, Patriots, Chiefs, and Colts as division leaders heading into Week 12
We didn’t learn much about the AFC playoff picture this week. The Ravens and Patriots seem like the cream of the crop in the AFC. Both those teams are poised to secure byes and the only thing in doubt is whether Baltimore or New England will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Texans are flawed and are in a battle with the Colts for the AFC South. The Chiefs should win the AFC West. The wild cards will be a battle between the loser of the Texans-Colts battle, the Buffalo Bills, the Oakland Raiders, and maybe the Steelers or the Browns. Yes, somehow the Browns are still alive, folks.
Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
AFC East
New England Patriots 9-1
The Patriots have one concern: their offense. The New England defense can’t keep bailing out the other side of the football. That hasn’t been the case for a long time in New England. The good news for the reigning Super Bowl champion is that they only play one very good defense the rest of the schedule. The Cowboys should be a good defense but haven’t really shown it on the field. The Texans and Chiefs can be scored upon. There’s probably two losses left on the schedule, but 13 wins should be enough to get the top seed unless the Ravens continue to dominate opponents.
The Bills need to beat the Broncos or their playoff hopes are in deep trouble. The four games after Week 12 are in tough situations where they play the Cowboys, Steelers, and Patriots away and have to try and stop the Ravenswhich doesn’t look possible right now. What looked like an easy path to the playoffs now looks a little scary.
Bills Wire Buffalo Bills podcast recap of the team’s Week 11 win over the Miami Dolphins.
The Buffalo Bills went down to Miami and took care of the business, squishing the “fish”(mammals) in their second encounter of the season with a score of 37-20. It was the most points accrued by this Bills offense all season, and they shined in all aspects. Mustached Buffalo offense coordinator Brian Daboll got it done.
Despite what their record may say, Mimai was a valiant team, and had been riding high on a two-game win streak, but the Bills slowed them down. There were a few moments where the Dolphins had opportunities to take over the game, but they could not capitalize.
Miami only attempted to rush a mere 13 attempts for 23 yards, a questionable decision since rushing up the middle worked to their advantage in the first encounter.
The offense for Buffalo was essentially fan service against Miami, and the Bills social media crowd got their way. Devin Singletary was the primary running back, getting key downs and leading the rushing yardage. Quarterback Josh Allen heaved the ball around, hitting wideout John Brown for two touchdown passes, further cementing Brown’s roster spot for years to come. Brown, who many have only viewed as “just a deep ball guy” has shown that he can be the No. 1 receiver that the team has desperately needed for a long time.
Billswire Podcast Hosts Matt Johnson and Jeremy Juhasz explore the big win in Miami, and look ahead ahead toward Denver next week:
Following a 37-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins, that saw the Bills improve to 7-3 on the season, there was plenty of praise for Buffalo’s offense.
One player in particular who was applauded, was Bills wide receiver John Brown.
Brown finished the day with nine catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
During Josh Allen’s postgame interview on CBS, the quarterback had high remarks for his top wideout.
“He’s unbelievable,” Allen said. “The things that he can do. How well he runs routes. How well he communicates… he’s the ultimate teammate too. He’s a Pro Bowler in my eyes. You know, I love having him and we’re lucky to have him.”
Allen was later asked by members of the media what makes John Brown special.
“He’s been fantastic for us. Just how he goes about each and every day,” Allen said. “He goes and attacks. All-time teammate. Guy that no one can say anything bad about. Just a guy that goes in and works and wants to get better. Doesn’t care about stats. Doesn’t’ care about touchdowns. He cares about winning and when you have a recipe like that, you’re determined for success. I wouldn’t trade him for anybody.”
John Brown himself was asked about the difference this week, for a Bills offense that has struggled throughout the season to put up points.
“We just knew what we had to do,” Brown told reporters. “We had to eliminate the mistakes we were making and we wanted to be more dialed in than we ever been. We haven’t played our best game yet…”
Brown also returned the praise for Allen, when discussing the 40-yard touchdown strike from his QB.
“He just made a perfect throw,” Brown told the media. “Most people don’t make that throw, so hey, he got a cannon.”
At 7-3, the Bills control their own destiny when it comes to making the playoffs, however the road ahead gets much tougher.
Over the next five games, the Bills will face the third-toughest schedule, based on opponent win percentage.
In order for the Bills to continue their march towards the postseason, the Allen/Brown connection and the offense overall, will have to continue to find a way to make plays, just like we saw today.
