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The picks
Our roundup of nationwide picks for Sunday’s Patriots-Bills game.
ESPN.com staff: Nine out of 13 pick the Patriots.
Greg Cote, Miami Herald: Bills 24, Patriots 23. “This is first time since 2008 these teams have met this late in a season when both had winning records. In other words, the Bills don’t stink for a change. Pats have owned this series, winning 25 of past 27 including five straight while averaging 39 points. But things have changed. NE isn’t as good, despite last week’s revival, and Buffs are better. It isn’t that I’m sold on Kyle Orton, it’s that Bison have the sackers to greatly disturb Tom Brady’s pocket. Which he doesn’t like. At all!”
Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com: Patriots 28, Bills 20. “This is a game for first place in the AFC East. The Patriots got out of their funk against the Bengals, while the Bills won a tough game at Detroit last week. Kyle Orton did some good things, but he also threw a pick-six. The Patriots will find a way to win a tight one.”
CBSSports.com staff: Five out of eight pick the Patriots (New England by 3 ½).
Yahoo sports: All Pats.
USA Today staff: Six out of seven pick the Patriots.
Foxsports.com staff: Six out of seven pick the Pats.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: Patriots 30, Bills 20. “The Pegula era likely won’t start the way the Wilson era ended. But it’ll start the same way the Wilson era began 54 years ago — with a loss. The Patriots are awake, and the Bills scored a win in Detroit they really didn’t deserve.”
Michael David Smith, Pro Football Talk: Patriots 28, Bills 20. “I can’t figure out either of these teams, as evidenced by my picks. I thought going to Kyle Orton was a desperate move for a Bills team that was going nowhere next week, but they won. I thought the Patriots were looking old and washed up, but they won. So who wins when the teams meet on Sunday? The Patriots, who looked a lot more impressive than the Bills. With Sunday’s win, New England will be right back where it belongs atop the AFC East.”
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Patriots 34, Bills 14. “Their defense does, a little, with a pass rush that can get to Brady a bit. The problem is, Bill Belichick and the Patriots will outcoach them with superior formations to create mismatches. On the other side, the Patriots will take away the run, let Darrelle Revis take care of Sammy Watkins and tee off on Orton. In terms of looks, Brady is a lot more photogenic than Orton. Brady also should play a lot prettier and grittier in this type of game, and will.”
Elliot Harrison, NFL.com: Patriots 23, Bills 22. “Mario Williams gets a safety. The Bills run the football effectively. Kyle Orton plays adequately. And Buffalo still loses to New England. Look, we understand the anger around this 3-2 Bills team ranking 22nd in the latest NFL Power Rankings. But Tom Brady is 22-2 against Buffalo in his "short" career (that was sarcasm, directed at the hypersensitive fans who thought I was suggesting Brady be benched last week). It should be noted that Brady's last loss to the Bills came in Buffalo, where this game will be played, and where the crowd will be going absolutely nutso. Brady threw four interceptions that day in 2011. Can that happen again? Probably not. Yes, the Pats fell to the Dolphins in their most recent AFC East game, but Brady hasn't lost back-to-back divisional contests since 2006. The Bills cannot afford to keep settling for field goals -- they lead the league in attempts.”
NFL.com staff: Three out of five pick the Bills.
Neil Greenburg, Washington Post: Win probability: Buffalo, 59.1 percent. “The Patriots need the running game to be working for Tom Brady to be successful. The Bills have the fourth-best run-stopping unit in league.”
Boston Globe staff: Five out of six pick the Patriots (New England by three).
It says here: Patriots 52, Bills 14. Everyone else in the league is on notice.
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Originally Posted by pmoon6 
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