Intriguing Game- Week Four
Buffalo Bills at Las Vegas Raiders
Bills: They had me scared for a second in week three. After building up a 28-3 lead, they blew it. It seems as if that score in particular isn’t safe (thanks Atlanta). They found a way to fight back and beat the Los Angeles Rams. So far, the Buffalo Bills have lived up to the preseason hyped. This is the second straight year they’ve started 3-0 and they are in first place in the AFC East. Furthermore, it’s been the stellar play of Josh Allen that’s been the talk. If Russell Wilson isn’t off to the start he is, Josh would be getting some early MVP love. The Bills offense is potent. They find many ways to move down the field and they score. The defense is also stout. My only concern with them is they give up too many big plays down the field. They look to advance to 4-0 this weekend in Las Vegas.
Raiders: They’ve been one of the pleasant surprises so far in the young season. The only issue I have with them is their defense. It’s inconsistent and they give up way too many plays down the field for my liking. They can’t get off the field. When a defense struggles, it puts pressure on the offense to sustain long drives. On Sunday in Foxboro, the Raiders struggled. That’s what Bill Belichick does, takes away your best offensive option. Darren Waller had 12 catches in week two against the Saints. In week three, he was held to only two catches for nine yards receiving. I noticed they want to be a balanced offense. Run the ball here, use play action and the rest will follow. Balance is still key in the NFL today. They’ll look to bounce back at home on Sunday.
Bills X-Factor: Trent Murphy– I’m a fan of this Bills defense because they bully you from the defensive line to the secondary. Most importantly, they play well together as a unit. Look for Trent to be a problem on Sunday attacking the Raiders offensive line.
Raiders X-Factor: Henry Ruggs– Their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. One thing the Bills struggle with is defending the pass. He was drafted to be that number one receiver for Derek Carr. The quarterback hasn’t had a top option since the Amari Cooper days. Henry’s job is to stretch the field.
Final Thoughts: Talk about intrigue. The Bills are looking for a 4-0 start. Las Vegas on the other hand is looking to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the year. The Raiders had a tough time getting to Cam Newton. Josh Allen won’t be easy to bring down either. It won’t be easy for the Raiders to run the ball on this Buffalo front seven. The Bills must get their takeaways. Rush Carr and flush him to his left.
Prediction: Bills 35 Raiders 27
