11-9 ytd
The Bengals dropped their sixth straight game Sunday to the Colts, losing despite possessing the ball with less than two minutes to play in a game they ultimately lost by six points. They had no business being in that game after turning the ball five times, yet they hung around, much like they have all season. They have lost each of their last six by a TD or less.
For the first time all year, the Bills looked like they knew they could win. They were a step faster to the ball, and seemed to play a bit faster and were generally assignment sound. That's what happens when you think you can win.
I like a situation like we have this week. An inferior team (Bengals) has a great chance to knock off a superior team (Colts) and allows the chance to slip through their hands. My experience has been that the next week that team comes out a bit flat and disappointed. The right team can take advantage of this. Two recent examples are Arizona blowing a late fourth quarter lead against Minnesota and Detroit falling to the Jets in OT, both in week nine. Both teams came out flat and lost games against winnable opponents.
With Buffalo getting a taste of winning, that can be contagious. They have performed well against elite teams this year, only to fall short in the end. They played not to lose instead of to win. Despite the victory last week, they retreated to a fraidy-cat fourth quarter, almost losing the game again. It is tough for any team to get excited about a matchup between two basement teams in late November, but where does any motivation come for from the Bengals?? Buffalo has been a better than expected road team over the last few years, with seven of their fourteen wins coming on the road since 2008.
Bills +5.5
Bills +215
The Bengals dropped their sixth straight game Sunday to the Colts, losing despite possessing the ball with less than two minutes to play in a game they ultimately lost by six points. They had no business being in that game after turning the ball five times, yet they hung around, much like they have all season. They have lost each of their last six by a TD or less.
For the first time all year, the Bills looked like they knew they could win. They were a step faster to the ball, and seemed to play a bit faster and were generally assignment sound. That's what happens when you think you can win.
I like a situation like we have this week. An inferior team (Bengals) has a great chance to knock off a superior team (Colts) and allows the chance to slip through their hands. My experience has been that the next week that team comes out a bit flat and disappointed. The right team can take advantage of this. Two recent examples are Arizona blowing a late fourth quarter lead against Minnesota and Detroit falling to the Jets in OT, both in week nine. Both teams came out flat and lost games against winnable opponents.
With Buffalo getting a taste of winning, that can be contagious. They have performed well against elite teams this year, only to fall short in the end. They played not to lose instead of to win. Despite the victory last week, they retreated to a fraidy-cat fourth quarter, almost losing the game again. It is tough for any team to get excited about a matchup between two basement teams in late November, but where does any motivation come for from the Bengals?? Buffalo has been a better than expected road team over the last few years, with seven of their fourteen wins coming on the road since 2008.
Bills +5.5
Bills +215
