The Buffalo Bills bounced back from their 29-26 defeat to the New England Patriots with a thrilling 37-34 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams and they will look to maintain their grip on the AFC East when they travel to Allegiant Stadium to face the slumping Las Vegas Raiders.
Josh Allen threw for one touchdown and 210 yards off just 12 completions against the Rams but most of the damage was done on the ground as he rushed for 121 yards off 10 carries with a touchdown, while James Cook bagged two scores and 111 yards from 25 carries.
The Raiders began the season with three straight wins over the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints, although those three teams have just one win between them through five weeks.
Reality has perhaps bitten for the Raiders as they have lost two on the spin against teams with winning records, and although they went down fighting in a 30-27 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, Klint Kubiak's men were pounded 45-17 by the Pats in Foxborough.
Drake Maye completed 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns, while New England rushed for a combined 165 yards and two further scores as the Raiders struggled with the onslaught.
The Raiders will hope a return to Allegiant Stadium has a positive effect but the Chiefs have won in Paradise, while the Bills have won both of their road games so far, which includes Monday's thriller at the Rams.
Bills vs. Raiders betting picks and predictions
Buffalo Bills -5.5 (-108)
It is no surprise the Bills are strong -240 favourites on the moneyline, even on the road, as Josh Allen has a seemingly innate ability to make a decisive impact when needed.
While not explosive through the air last week at SoFi Stadium, he used his legs to great effect to rack up the yardage and another score, while Cook's two scores mean the Bills have a league-leading 13 touchdowns on the ground, three clear of the rest.
That is worrying for the Raiders who have already given up 703 yards on the ground, the fourth most in the NFL, while they rank joint second-worst at 5.2 yards per carry.
The Patriots used their rushing game to good effect last week in their rout of the Raiders, allowing Drake Maye to pummel them through the air, and the Bills have the tools to do something similar, despite a banged-up receiver corps.
Las Vegas should be able to score points on Buffalo's defense, which has been far less convincing, but Allen's offense is averaging 32.8 points a game and they can cover on Sunday night.
Ashton Jeanty Under 58.5 (-115)
Ashton Jeanty rushed for 102 yards at an average of 4.4 in the season opener against the Dolphins but he has got nowhere near the 100-yard mark in four subsequent games, and there are reasons to believe he won't pass a line of 58.5 on Sunday.
The 22-year-old has rushed for tallies of 48, 56, 58 and 27 in his last four games, while he has had fewer carries with each passing week, and there is a very real possibility that the Raiders could be playing catch-up.
Even if that wasn't necessarily the case, the Bills have been much stronger defensively against the run than they have through the air, with only the Detroit Lions having given up more passing yards than Buffalo's 1,479, which includes 13 touchdowns.
Kirk Cousins could easily find joy through the air anyway and a successful passing game will likely limit Jeanty's workload further.
Keon Coleman Anytime Touchdown (+280)
While Josh Allen and James Cook are both short odds at -170 to score a touchdown, Keon Coleman looks worth considering to find the endzone, given both DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer are listed as questionable.
Even though both could play some part, their shoulder injuries might affect their workload and offer a greater opportunity for Coleman to figure more prominently.
While a tally of two receiving touchdowns is hardly a standout stat, it still ties for the team lead and those scores have come in the last two games, catching six of seven targets for 116 yards against the Pats, while his one reception off two targets against the Rams was a six-pointer.
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Bills vs. Raiders odds
Bills | -240 |
Raiders | +195 |
Spread | BUF Bills -5.5 |
Total | O/U 53.5 |
Bills vs. Raiders player props
Anytime touchdown
James Cook (BUF Bills) | -170 |
Josh Allen (BUF Bills) | -170 |
Ashton Jeanty (LV Raiders) | -130 |
Brock Bowers (LV Raiders) | -115 |
Dalton Kincaid (BUF Bills) | +170 |
DJ Moore (BUF Bills) | +200 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
