New England Patriots @

Buffalo Bills

Sat, Jan 15
5:15 PM Pacific
Rotation: 143
Odds: Buffalo Bills -4, Total: 44

Game Analysis

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1-Star Best Bet – *BUFFALO (-4) over New England

Lean – Over (44)

We will likely see this game played in extremely cold conditions on Saturday, but it is not expected to windy, and wind affects scoring more than cold does – as was the case when these teams met here in the regular season. In fact, the average points scored in 30 games played at less than 20 Fahrenheit with wind less than 10 mph is 44.8 points since 2000 which is about half point higher than the average for all games (44.2) in that time span. The market tends to overreact to the cold weather games a bit, as the over is 54.6% in 64 games under 20 degrees since 2000.

The Bills have the best offense in the NFL going into the playoffs according to our metrics and the Patriots have an overrated defense. New England has gone against the 4th-easiest set of opposing offenses this season by yards per play. The Patriots held Buffalo’s offense to 10 points in week 13 but there was not much to be gleaned from that night because there was sleet and 30 mph winds. Josh Allen averaged 6.7 yppp versus New England’s defense three weeks ago in Foxboro and added 64 yards on the ground.

Patriots’ DT Christian Barmore ranks 7th in pass rushing efficiency, but he had to be carted to the locker room with under two minutes left in last Sunday’s game and will likely be limited if he is able to suit up. Buffalo’s offense will be able to devote more resources to stopping edge defender Matthew Judon (6th in pass rushing efficiency), who had just one pressure against the Bills in week 16.

In the last two decades, rookie quarterbacks are averaging only 4.8 yards per pass play in the first round of the playoffs. Mac Jones averaged just 5.7 yppp in seven games versus teams ranked in the top 10 in pressure rate (Miami x2, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Carolina, and 2 x Buffalo) and he’s averaged just 4.4 yppp against the Bills, including just 4.2 yppp in the good weather game in Foxboro between these teams (only 3 pass plays for 19 yards in the bad weather game). New England RB Brandon Bolden is averaging 1.94 yards per route run (2nd) but Buffalo’s defense has conceded just 495 yards to opposing running backs out of the backfield (5th). The Bills have conceded only 629 yards to opposing tight ends (6th) and will limit TE Hunter Henry, who averages 1.50 yards per route run (8th).

Our model makes Buffalo a 7.5-point favorite with a predicted total of 47.6. The Patriots have been 59.2% ATS in all regular season games since 2000, when Bill Belichick became the head coach, but they’re a modest 21-19-1 ATS in postseason games during that span and I don’t mind bucking Belichick with a superior team against a rookie quarterback (quarterbacks making their first playoff start are just 18-34-1 ATS against teams with a QB that has playoff experience). Buffalo is a 1-Star Best Bet at -4 points or less.

  • Team Stats
  • Game Log
  • Patriots
  • Bills
NE
Offense
Defense



Pass



  • Pass Plays 33.06 33.76
  • Succ Pass Plays 49.8% 44.6%
  • Sack Rate 4.8% 6.3%
  • Int Rate 2.2% 4.3%
  • Deep Pass Rate 16.8% 18.0%
  • Big Pass Yards 41.1% 31.5%
  • NYPP 6.89 5.54



Rush


  • Rush Plays 28.76 27.29
  • RB YPR 4.43 4.41
  • Stuff Rate 24.5% 20.5%
  • Succ Rush Plays 52.1% 48.5%
  • Big Rush Yards 47.7% 44.4%
  • Yards Per Rush 4.40 4.53




Game

  • All Snaps 61.82 61.06
  • Early Down Succ 53.4% 49.9%
  • Succ Rate 50.9% 46.3%
  • Big Yards Rate 43.4% 36.4%
  • Yards Per Play 5.73 5.09
  • Fumble Lost Rate 1.0% 0.7%
  • Time Per Play (sec) 29.83 29.24
  • Run Ratio 46.5% 44.7%
  • Starting Field Pos 31.40 26.86
  • Game Control 2.81 -2.81
 
  • Points 27.18 17.82
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