New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills Pick – NFL, September 13, 2020

Could this finally be the year Buffalo gets over the hump and wins the AFC East? It’s been 25 years since the Bills won their division – back when Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas were leading the way.

Now it’s Josh Allen and Devin Singletary, along with Stefon Diggs and a defense that means business.

New York is excited about what Sam Darnold brings to the table, but asking him to go into Buffalo and win a crucial opening game is a tall order.

Let’s break the game down and establish a Jets vs. Bills prediction.

After the originally installing Buffalo as a 5.5-point favorite, the bookies received just enough action on the home team to push this line to 6. These two squads have split their season series in each of the last three years, although it’s worth noting that the road team has emerged in the last four meetings.

40 is the lowest total of any of the week 1 games, but it’s not that low if you look back at what happened in 2019 when Gang Green clashed with the stout defense in Buffalo. A total of 33 points were scored in the first bout while just 19 points were tallied in round #2.

The Bills caught a nice break when All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White decided not to opt-out after sending out the following cryptic tweet that led many to believe that’s the direction he was heading in.

Crazy that me choosing my family’s wellbeing over a game comes with so called fans attacking and questioning me and saying I’m selfish. No you guys are selfish for thinking that football is bigger than life. Oh by the way my girl’s grandfather passed from COVID. U understand now?

— Tre'Davious White (@TakeAwayTre_) August 6, 2020

With White locked and loaded to anchor a defensive backfield that returns Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer – not to mention added Josh Norman via free agency, Buffalo DC Leslie Frazier can’t wait to get to work.

We could go on and on extolling the individual pieces that make Frazier’s group among the top 3 in my fantasy football defense rankings, but the point is, it’s a collection of guys who love getting after it.

On the flip side, New York transitions to life after Jamal Adams and is hoping Bradley McDougald can step in and carry the load. However, facing outside threats like John Brown and Stefon Diggs in week one means Bradley’s first day on the job is likely to include plenty of bumps and bruises.

Of course, the storyline most are interested in is which of these quarterbacks that are “linked forever” will have the upper hand. Answering that question is the first step toward making a Jets vs. Bills pick.

Keep in mind, New York passed on Josh Allen in 2018 to draft Sam Darnold third overall.

The Bills are my pick to win the AFC East. With that in mind, a matchup against the Jets at New Era Field is a game I sure hope they can win – even without fans present. I’m a bit reluctant to lay six points so I’m instead endorsing a bet on the Bills winning outright.

Coughing up -260 isn’t the ideal scenario, but betting NFL games isn’t always about going for the gusto.

Sometimes it’s about locking in bets that give you a good chance to turn a profit.