It’s a battle between two playoff contenders on Sunday between the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers. Yeah, you read that right, the Panthers are in the playoff mix. Now they can test their mettle against a Super Bowl hopeful.
Buffalo is a seven-point favorite on the road on the DraftKings Sportsbook. If you fancy a Panthers home upset, they’re priced at +310 on the moneyline. The over/under for this game is set at 46.5 total points. Let’s get into a prediction and pick for this Bills vs. Panthers showdown.
Bills vs. Panthers preview
To the surprise of nobody, the Buffalo Bills are going as far as Josh Allen can take them. But it’s not working out quite as well as it did last year. He’s getting some help from James Cook, but their defense has taken a step back, and Allen is struggling to make up the gap.
A major issue is the decline of their run defense. They were middle of the pack last year, allowing 4.5 yards per carry. That’s cratered to 5.8 yards per carry this year, the worst mark in the NFL. Facing a team with two strong running backs in Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard is going to be a significant problem.
Carolina’s outlook took a hit with Bryce Young being ruled out for this week. They have a solid defense and a strong run game, but can backup quarterback Andy Dalton hold things together enough for the upset?
Bills vs. Panthers prediction, pick
I understand why the Bills are the heavy favorites here. Bryce Young isn’t the starter by accident. But I’m not sure how much of a change Dalton has on this game.
There’s a good chance that Dowdle and Hubbard run rampant over this Bills defense. Dalton can chuck some balls at Tetairoa McMillan for a change of pace, but Carolina’s ability to control the time of possession while moving the ball on the ground gives them a strong chance at pulling off the upset.
