Tag: experts

Stevie Johnson named ‘Legend of the Game’ for Bills vs. Packers

The 🐐 is back in town for #Bills-#Packers @StevieJohnson13

Stevie is back in town.

On Sunday when the Buffalo Bills host the Green Bay Packers for their prime-time showdown, former Bills receiver Stevie Johnson will return to be the “Legend of the Game.”

Johnson played from 2008 to 2013 with the Bills after he was a seventh-round pick of the franchise out of Kentucky. Johnson last played in the NFL in 2015.

During his tenure in Buffalo, Johnson was a rare bright spot during the playoff drought. So much so, this is not the first time the Bills have decided to honor him in such a way. He “led the charge” back in 2018.

Prior to kickoff, Johnson will be one of the first ones out of the tunnel at Highmark Stadium. He’ll pump Bills Mafia up just ahead of the opening kick and team introductions.

“I feel like a player, but a fan too,” Johnson said to the team’s website. “That whole feeling of preparing for a game and preparing for those moments is the same with this, being the Legend of the Game. It’s huge to introduce the team and be around that atmosphere again.”

Johnson elaborated further during an interview with the team’s radio partner, WGR-550 radio. Hear more from Stevie in the attached YouTube player below:

[lawrence-related id=107701,107697,107683]

ESPN College GameDay makes picks for top matchups of Week 9

College GameDay experts predict today’s top games!

Week 9 of the college football season is upon us, and while the Crimson Tide are on the bye week, there are still plenty of entertaining games this weekend. I think all Alabama fans will secretly admit they are relieved to have a stress-free weekend ahead of two monumental games against LSU and Ole Miss.

Across the country though, Kentucky and Tennessee meet in a huge showdown in the SEC East today while Penn State and Ohio State battle for a position in the Big Ten Championship Game.

College GameDay was live from Jackson State today for the showdown with Southern! As always, the GameDay experts predict the key matchups of the day and decide who the winners are.

The numbers below are not the predicted score, but rather how many experts on the panel picked that respective team. 

Majority of NFL game picks favoring the Raiders over the Saints in Week 8

Most NFL picks are favoring the Raiders over the Saints in Week 8. It’s a tough look when both teams are chasing their third win of the season:

Ouch. According to surveying of game picks from around the NFL media landscape at Pickwatch, a staggering 72% majority of Week 8 picks are coming in for the visiting team. Both the Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) and the New Orleans Saints (2-5) are looking for their third win of the season this week, but just 28% of media experts, national reporters, and fan blogs from around the Internet like New Orleans to win at home.

That’s a tough look, but it makes sense. The Saints are missing a ton of starters due to injuries and their defense has ranked among the worst in pro football over the last month. Las Vegas is on a roll, having come out of their bye week to wallop on the Houston Texans last Sunday. Raiders star running back Josh Jacobs is a horrible matchup for a Saints defense that’s struggled to tackle opponents in the open field.

But the experts have been wrong before, so here’s hoping the Saints can prove them wrong again on Sunday. Other game picks coming in around the NFC South gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just a 33% vote of confidence in knocking off the Baltimore Ravens (the Bucs lost 27-22, making for a very complicated division title race) while an overwhelming majority of 89% of picks favor the Atlanta Falcons against the Carolina Panthers. Let’s see how it all turns out on Sunday.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyahgz6p2j3xp7 player_id=none image=https://saintswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=117625]

NFL picks Week 1: ‘Experts’ go with the Bills over Rams

The ‘experts’ are going with the #Bills over the #Rams:

The Buffalo Bills begin their 2022 NFL journey against the Los Angeles Rams. It’s the much-anticipated matchup nationwide as it’s the first game of the entire year.

Can the Bills pull it off with all eyes on them?

The so-called “experts” say yes.

According to NFL Pickwatch, 64 percent of writers, analysts, and talking heads on television have picked Buffalo to beat Los Angeles.

In this case, these folks are going with the oddsmakers as well. The Bills enter Thursday as a 2.5-point favorite over the Rams on the road at So-fi Stadium.

Even so, we still find a couple that think the defending champs will beat Buffalo.

For those curious of who they might want to take note of who is not “Bill-eving,” a few of those picking the Rams include: Will Brinson (CBS Sports), Seth Wickersham (ESPN), and Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports).

[lawrence-related id=105060,105055,105053]

Expert predictions are all over the place for the Saints in 2022

Will New Orleans get back to the playoffs? Can Jameis Winston thrive without Sean Payton? Expert predictions are all over the place for the Saints in 2022:

Will the New Orleans Saints get back to the playoffs? Can Jameis Winston thrive without Sean Payton? Is Dennis Allen destined to repeat his crash-and-burn Raiders experience in his second stop as a head coach? These are all of the questions NFL experts are asking in making their 2022 season predictions, and there isn’t any real consensus developing as everyone adds their own opinion into the mix. It’s reflected in the preseason power rankings. And we’re seeing it from a variety of media outlets with the season’s start just days away. Some analysts don’t see the Saints reaching the postseason. Others call them a Super Bowl contender:

NFL picks, divisional round: Chiefs get a slight edge over Bills per the ‘experts’

NFL picks, divisional round: #Chiefs get a slight edge over #Bills per the ‘experts’

The Buffalo Bills’ visit to Kansas City to face the Chiefs in the AFC divisional round is a tough one to pick.

Even the so-called “experts” think so.

Heading into the the Bills’ upcoming contest, the folks polled by NFL Pickwatch are close to being split on this game. Per their findings, the writers, analysts and talking heads on television are only very slightly picking KC.

Of those polled, 53 percent picked Kansas City (12-5) to beat Buffalo (11-6) at home.

This is actually a road we’ve gone down before.

Earlier this season, this same bunch gave the slight edge to the Chiefs. Ahead of that Week 5 win for the Bills, Kansas City had 55 percent of the backing from this group.

Maybe this will be good juju for Buffalo again?

As is our weekly tradition, here are some of those that are Bill-eving in the Bills: Dan Graziano (ESPN), Mike Florio (Pro Football Talk), Pete Prisco (CBS Sports), and Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network).

Follow the Bills Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-related id=95725,95720,95713]

NFL picks, Week 17: ‘Experts’ see only the Bills winning in Week 17

NFL picks, Week 17: ‘Experts’ see only the #Bills winning in Week 17 vs. #Falcons:

The NFL “experts” were split last last week when the Buffalo Bills took on the New England Patriots.

No such thing has happened for Week 17.

The Bills (9-6) host the Atlanta Falcons (7-8) on Sunday. Despite their records not being drastically off, the writers, experts, and talking heads on television have overwhelmingly picked Buffalo as their winner of this one.

According to NFL Pickwatch, a whooping 99 percent of those polled by the outlet have selected the Bills as their predicted winner.

Then again, it’s not exactly the most bold prediction.

Buffalo did open as a two-touchdown favorite earlier this week against Atlanta.

For the heck of it, here’s some of those on the Bills bandwagon now: Maurice Jones-Drew (NFL Network), Dan Graziano (ESPN), Mike Florio (NBC Sports)< and Pete Prisco (NFL.com).

Follow the Bills Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-related id=94397,94368,94395]

NFL picks, Week 16: ‘Experts’ close to split again for Bills-Patriots

NFL picks, Week 16: ‘Experts’ close to split again for #Bills-#Patriots:

The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots played to the tune of a one score, 14-10 final, in their first meeting in Week 13.

The Patriots (9-5) had the much better looking outing that day, but still, the Bills (8-6) kept it close.

Prior to the first meeting, the “experts” polled from NFL Pickwatch were at a dead split. Half chose Buffalo to win while another picked New England.

With the high stakes heading into Week 16, we’re seeing the experts nearly in the same position as before. The writers, analysis and talking heads on television are just about at a split again… but there is a slight edge.

The Patriots have 53 percent of the experts picking them over the Bills.

Among those picking Buffalo include: Colleen Wolfe (NFL.com), Dan Graziano (ESPN), Domonique Foxworth (ESPN) and Mike Clay (ESPN).

On the flip side, here’s a faction of those picking New England (as always, feel free to remind them they were wrong if the Bills win): Seth Wickersham (ESPN), Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com), Sam Acho (ESPN), and Nick Shook (NFL.com).

Follow the Bills Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-related id=93710,93842,93840]

NFL picks, Week 15: ‘Experts’ fully back on Bills bandwagon vs. Panthers

NFL picks, Week 15: ‘Experts’ fully back on #Bills bandwagon vs. #Panthers:

A couple of weeks in a row the so-called “experts” have not been fully backing the Buffalo Bills.

After a bit of an even split from these folks prior to the Bills’ loss to the New England Patriots, many sided with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14. That unfortunately ended up being a smart idea.

But now, the Bills (7-6) are fully back… at least, according to this group of writers, analysts, and talking heads on television.

Per NFL Pickwatch this week, it is an overwhelming backing of Buffalo as they host the Carolina Panthers (5-8).

According to their findings, nearly all of the experts, 99 percent of the lot, have picked the Bills to win on Sunday.

As it tends to go, that went right in line with the oddsmakers. On Monday, Buffalo opened as a double-digit favorite over Carolina.

It appears many think the Bills will get back on track against the Panthers.

Follow the Bills Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-related id=93429,93419,93391]

NFL picks, Week 14: ‘Experts’ mostly picking Bucs over Bills

NFL picks, Week 14: ‘Experts’ mostly picking #Bucs over #Bills:

There are not many Bill-eving this week.

Earlier this week, for only the second time this season, the Buffalo Bills were named an underdog heading into a game. The Bills (7-5) were named 3.5-point dogs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3).

The only other time that happened this year was against the Kansas City Chiefs.

While only the Bucs are only a slight favorite in sportsbooks, the “experts” appear to be much more confident.

According to NFL Pickwatch, a big chunk of the writers, analysts and talking heads on television have picked the Bucs as their winner in Week 14’s matchup.

That number is 87 percent, leaving only 13 percent handful that have picked Buffalo.

But that does mean at least some have faith in the Bills.

Among those that have Buffalo pulling off the upset include: Dan Graziano (ESPN), Domonique Foxworth (ESPN), and Jori Epstein (USA TODAY).

Follow the Bills Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-related id=92921,92991,92986]