NFL odds: 2008 Bills

By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook

2007 record: 7-9 (10-6 ATS)

Offense: This side of the ball needs clear improvement, as Buffalo ranked 30th in yards (277.1) and points (15.8) in 2007. At least there is no quarterback controversy this season, however. Second-year player Trent Edwards is the man this year, with former first-round pick J.P. Losman slotted as his backup. Edwards threw for 1,630 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions and went 5–4 as a starter last year. And the Bills have a rising star at running back in Marshawn Lynch, who rushed for 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns in his rookie season. Add in WR Lee Evans and 2008 second-round pick WR James Hardy, and the Bills have a solid group of skill position players that you can bet will put up more points this season.

Defense: This unit ranked 31st in the league in yards last year but 18th in points allowed. The key offseason addition is former Jaguars defensive tackle Marcus Stroud. Buffalo allowed 124.6 yards rushing per game last year, and adding a three-time Pro Bowler in Stroud will bring that number down. At linebacker, Buffalo gets back Paul Posluszny in the middle after he suffered a broken forearm last season. He will be joined by free agent Kawika Mitchell, signed away from the Super Bowl champion Giants, on the weak side. Buffalo allowed the most passing yards in team history (238.4 ypg) last year, so it picked Leodis McKelvin No. 11 overall in this year’s draft, and he’s likely to start right away.

Key additions: DT Marcus Stroud; DT Spencer Johnson; DB Will James; LB Kawika Mitchell.

Key losses: DB Jerametrius Butler; DB Jason Webster; RB Anthony Thomas.

2008 over/under: 7.5 wins WagerWeb.com odds to win AFC: +2000
WagerWeb.com odds to win Super Bowl: +4500.

Wrap-up: This underdog club could surprise people this year, especially since the Bills play only six games against teams that posted winning records in ’07. The Bills went 4-0 against AFC East fellow residents the Jets and Miami last season, and there’s no reason to think that trend can’t continue. Last year’s team was in playoff contention into December, so safety Donte Whitner's guarantee that the Bills would reach the playoffs this season for the first time since 1999 is a definite possibility. In my opinion, oddsmakers are undervaluing this team, so a bet on the over wins total is a good one.

 

Best bet: Week 13 vs. San Francisco. Expect the Bills to be battling for a playoff spot and for it to be quite cold that time of year in Buffalo. Something the 49ers certainly won’t enjoy.

Bills’ 2008 schedule

1 Seattle
2 @Jacksonville
3 Oakland
4 @St Louis
5 @Arizona
6 BYE
7 San Diego
8 @Miami
9 NY Jets
10 @New England
11 Cleveland
12 @Kansas City
13 San Francisco
14 Miami (in Toronto)
15 @NY Jets
16 @Denver
17 New England

Predicted finish: 9-7 (second in AFC East)