As strange as it might seem that the five-time defending AFC East champion Bills are home underdogs over a team they beat in the playoffs, the Ravens also were favored back in January, albeit by a point. The Bills won 27-25, but in large part to Ravens tight end Mark Andrews’ fourth-quarter fumble and dropped two-point conversion that would have tied the game with 93 seconds left.
Buffalo not only opened as the favorite for tonight, but it also was the lone NFL team favored to win each of its 17 matchups this year. Now, that cool stat is out the window – a three-point shift from minus-1.5 points to plus-1.5 points against Baltimore.
The betting public has shifted because the Bills’ defense, particularly the secondary, is banged up. As Joe mentioned, sixth-round rookie Dorian Strong will start for injured veteran Tre’Davious White and first-round pick Max Hairston. Sophomore safety Cole Bishop missed a large chunk of training camp/preseason for the second straight summer, creating added mystery.