NFL Odds – Patriots Try To Clinch Best Record In The AFC Against Bills

The New England Patriots have already wrapped up the top seed in the upcoming AFC betting playoffs, but they still haven’t clinched the best record in the AFC. That could happen this Sunday.They are a big favorite on the NFL odds this weekend.

Sunday, December 26th –1:00 PM ET

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New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills

Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo

Broadcast: CBS

NFL betting lines: Patriots -8, Bills +8

Total: 44

The New England Patriots have already attained the number one seed in the conference playoffs, but like any elite team, the men from Massachusetts would like to attain that lofty seeding without needing a tiebreaker advantage. New England can attained unquestioned regular-season superiority in the AFC for 2010 by notching its 13th win in Buffalo against the lowly Bills, who are simply playing out the string and hoping that 2011 will bring a better day.

NFL Odds Handicapping: What The Patriots Have To Do To Win

In this contest, the most immediate challenge being faced by the Patriots is boredom. New England has already achieved the things any NFL team most centrally needs to attain during the regular season. True, the Pats aren’t chasing a 16-0 record they way they did in the 2007 regular season, but they’ve done everything else they’ve needed to do. Wrapping up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs means that the Patriots should keep an eye on the long view, much like the Indianapolis Colts did near the end of last year’s regular season. A lot of people gave the Colts flak for resting starters with a 14-0 record last season, but the point remains that the move by Colts coach Jim Caldwell worked. Indianapolis successfully navigated the two rounds of AFC postseason competition and advanced to the Super Bowl, which involves a two-week break. The point of resting players isn’t to win the Super Bowl, but to get there, and Indianapolis got there last season. Now, New England faces a similar dilemma. The key to winning this game is not related to Xs and Os; it’s based on whether the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick are serious about beating the Bills.

NFL Odds Handicapping: What The Bills Have To Do To Win

Going up against an elite opponent – although one that might not be supremely motivated – the Bills have to play their best game of the 2010 season. That’s not going to be very easy to do, but it’s the only way Buffalo and coach Chan Gailey can realistically hope to compete with the mighty Patriots. Buffalo has had a knack for making horrible mistakes at the worst possible times this season. Such was the case when the Bills took on the second-best team in the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers, a month ago. Buffalo flubbed a kick return in overtime when a return man stumbled over a teammate’s foot in the open field. A Buffalo receiver later dropped a game-winning touchdown pass in the end zone. Still later in the same overtime period, Buffalo had the ball at the Pittsburgh 36 and could have kicked a long field goal, but a four-yard loss on third down forced Buffalo to punt. Those kinds of mistakes can’t be made if the Bills want to take down New England.

NFL Odds Handicapping: Outlook & Pick

The Patriots will find a way to win this game, but the Bills will play with Super Bowl-level intensity, while New England will just try to get through this contest without suffering any injuries. Buffalo will manage to play just well enough to lose, but the Bills will cover the nine-point spread and lose by only four or five points.

NFL Odds Pick: Bills +8