Fansided

NFL Week 4: Five best bets

By Jeff Glauser

Sep 25, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen (97) reacts after making a sack in the fourth quarter. The Vikings defeated the Panthers 22-10 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen (97) reacts after making a sack in the fourth quarter. The Vikings defeated the Panthers 22-10 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 23, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) runs past Buffalo Bills strong safety Duke Williams (27) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) runs past Buffalo Bills strong safety Duke Williams (27) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

New England Patriots (-3) vs. Buffalo Bills

FiftyFourPercent:

Tom Brady doesn’t come off suspension until next week. Jimmy Garoppolo has a sore right shoulder. Jacoby Brissett has a sprained thumb on his throwing hand. Still, Bill Belichick probably could win this game with Julian Edelman as his quarterback, although the early feeling is Garoppolo could be ready.

The Bills have their own injury and suspension woes with Sammy Watkins, cornerback Ronald Darby and offensive left tackle Cordy Glenn all missing last Sunday and star defensive tackle Marcell Dareus under suspension. The Pats have won eight of the last nine in the series and are 20-7-2 ATS during their past 29 home contests. Their walking wounded have had extra time to recuperate having played last Thursday.

Glauser:

Go ahead. Keep writing the Patriots off. They dare you. I mean, does it even matter anymore who they suit up? Belichick is a mad genius, arguably the greatest coach football has ever seen, and maybe in any other sport as well. If he didn’t come across as such a miserable person, he’d get more love. But mad geniuses could care less about love, and New England just keeps chugging along.

With that said, there are some intangibles that matter here. Bills coach Rex Ryan — the antithesis to Belichick in terms of likability and media friendliness — is fresh off perhaps his most impressive win since coming to Buffalo at the hands of the Cardinals, but still fighting for his future here. And he’s running out of assistants to fire. Meanwhile, the Pats still have to put SOMEBODY behind center … don’t they? And with Brady returning next week and facing a hungry divisional opponent, it’s possible they may take their foot off the gas a little bit. Then again, Rob Gronkowski should be a bigger factor this week, so there’s that.

The key to this game will likely be ball control. Can LeSean McCoy and Tyrod Taylor keep the chains moving? Can the Bills win the turnover battle? I hope so, if for no other reason than the world needs Rex Ryan to keep coaching for sheer entertainment purposes alone.

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