After a couple of down weeks with two losses in a row, the 7-6 Buffalo Bills badly need a victory to get back on track. At home, they’ll host the 5-8 Carolina Panthers on Sunday, in what is very clearly a much-needed ‘get right’ spot for Josh Allen and this Bills squad. But with Carolina improving of late and still pushing for the post-season, Buffalo can ill-afford to take this pesky squad lightly.
The Bills finished quite strong last week in Tampa Bay, but their comeback bid fell just short following a tough OT loss to the powerful Bucs. While there are no moral victories in football, Buffalo showed signs of optimism and progress against the NFC’s best team. Now Buffalo will look to build off of that fourth quarter momentum by easily disposing of an inconsistent Carolina team.
For the Panthers, at 5-8 the playoffs remain in reach, but they need to quickly solve their quarterback play. After scooping up Cam Newton from semi-retirement, he’s been awful of late. There’s no consistency under center as the coaching staff flip flops between Newton and PJ Walker, but with neither of them being all that great – it’s hindered a usually effective offense. Going against an equally inconsistent Buffalo defense might just lead to improved results, but playing on the road in Orchard Park, NY is never an easy feat in the winter months.
With both teams badly needing a victory, it should produce a real post-season atmosphere in Buffalo. Desperation will be on display. For the most up-to-date trends, and the latest data – keep reading below for our betting analysis on Buffalo vs. Carolina as we look to stay hot into the new year. Enjoy the game, folks!
#Bills QB Josh Allen was, in fact, a full participant in today’s practice and has no injury designation. He’ll start.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 17, 2021
Carolina Panthers vs. Buffalo Bills Live Odds & Betting History
*These odds are provided by BetOnline.ag
| TEAM DATA | PANTHERS | BILLS |
| Overall Record | 5-8-0 | 7-6-0 |
| ATS Record | 5-8-0 | 7-6-0 |
| Home/Away Record | 3-3-0 | 3-3-0 |
| Points Per Game | 19.8 | 27.4 |
| Points Against Per Game | 21.9 | 17.8 |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 200.8 | 261.2 |
| Rushing Yards Per Game | 109.2 | 121.5 |
Carolina Panthers vs. Buffalo Bills Prediction:
Though Josh Allen was reportedly said to be dealing with a nagging foot injury in the lead-up to Sunday’s kick-off, it seems as if he’ll be good to go for Buffalo here in Week 15. That’s great news for a Bills team that definitely needs a victory. Following a slow start, Allen was excellent in the second-half last week vs. the Bucs, and looks poised to end the season strong, potentially ramping up for a lengthy playoff run.
Carolina does do a good job of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but Allen’s legs and impressive targets downfield give him good safety options. Stefon Diggs is having another solid season, and should hold matchup advantages over anyone within Carolina’s secondary, while Gabe Davis has also stepped up at the wideout position.
Carolina is quite porous defending against opposing rushers, so don’t be surprised to see Buffalo try to relieve Allen by giving their crew of running backs more touches. It could set up numerous deep balls downfield as well.
For the Panthers, it seems as if it’ll again be Cam Newton to start here in Week 15. He’s been pretty bad since his return, and Buffalo’s impressive defensive front will likely make this outing a miserable one. The Bills have the top pressure rate in all of the NFL right now, and with all of those hurried situations, don’t be surprised to see Newton commit some key turnovers.
And while Carolina too could turn to the run game, since losing Christian McCaffrey to injury, neither Ameer Abdullah or Chuba Hubbard have been able to step up and effectively fill the void. Buffalo can be run on, but that tandem likely won’t be effective again on Sunday.
The #Bills once again control their own destiny in winning the division. If they win out, they’re AFC East champs.
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) December 19, 2021
Bills vs. Panthers Trends To Know:
- Panthers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
- Panthers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
- Bills are 6-1-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
- Bills are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
- Bills are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0 in Panthers last 4 games overall.
- Over is 7-1 in Bills last 8 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
In what should very much be a ‘get right’ game for the Bills, expect Buffalo to simply overwhelm the Panthers on both sides of the football. The betting line has risen steadily all week, and with Allen’s health confirmed – expect an explosion of offensive output from Buffalo. On the defensive side, the Bills should swallow up Newton on most possessions, en route to a much-needed blowout victory. With the Patriots losing on Saturday, Buffalo will be increasingly motivated to win the AFC East in the coming weeks.
