NFL Odds: Winning Competitive AFC East No Longer Enough For Bills?
Tune in to the “Ultimate Betting Show” on NESN on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. ET for daily training camp previews: Next up: the Buffalo Bills.
The Buffalo Bills enter the 2023-24 campaign having won three straight AFC East titles, overshadowing the once dominant New England Patriots and establishing a divisional dynasty of their own.
But claiming the competitive division, a division which saw the arrival of New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers this offseason, no longer is enough for Buffalo. Sean McDermott and Josh Allen headline too talented a group and an AFC East triumph no longer is the benchmark for a successful season.
At least that’s how it feels like the conversation has shifted regarding the group in Western New York. And expectations have mirrored it.
FanDuel Sportsbook has Buffalo on the top betting line to win the AFC East, and behind only the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles to win Super Bowl LVIII. They’re a title contender in the eyes of just about everyone.
2022 in review
13-3, first in AFC East (lost in divisional round)
8-9-1 against the spread
7-11 over/under
Key offseason additions
RB Damien Harris
TE Dalton Kinkaid (first-round pick)
OG Connor McGovern
RB Latavius Murray
Key offseason losses
DC Leslie Frazier
LB Tremaine Edmunds
Look ahead to 2023 (via FanDuel Sportsbook)
Super Bowl: +900
Conference: +450
Division: +130
Win total: over/under 10.5 (Over -134)
To make playoffs: Yes -245| No +194
2023 award contenders
MVP: Josh Allen +700
Offensive POY: Josh Allen +2800, Stefon Diggs +3000
Coach of the Year: Sean McDermott +4000
Offensive ROY: Dalton Kinkaid +4500
Comeback Player of Year: Damar Hamlin -300
2023 outlook
Buffalo has cemented itself in the conversation to win the conference along with Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs and Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals. With those three up-and-coming gunslingers, it’s in great standing. But the AFC East, specifically, feels much-improved from one season ago. First and foremost, the Jets, who were held back because of their quarterback, now have a four-time NFL MVP in Rodgers. And Rodgers both looks and sounds like he’s fully bought in. Additionally, the Miami Dolphins traded for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the Patriots addressed arguably their biggest concern with the hiring of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien — though that probably speaks more to last year’s play-calling disaster than it does other deficiencies in New England.
Nevertheless, even with Buffalo’s difficult schedule — at Bengals, at Eagles, at Chiefs, at Chargers — it shouldn’t be a surprise if the Bills are back atop the division come season’s end. After that, though, is when they’ll have to win to surpass expectations.
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