The Buffalo Bills will be looking to bounce back from a 19-18 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in their pre-season opener when they play host to the New York Giants on Saturday as narrow 2.5-point favourites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
That loss continued Buffalo’s history of pre-season futility, marking their ninth straight-up defeat in their past 12 games heading into Saturday afternoon’s Giants vs. Bills betting matchup at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
After starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor left the game against the Colts following Buffalo’s first drive, veteran E.J. Manuel and rookie Cardale Jones took over the Bills’ offence and combined for 253 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns.
While Taylor is expected to see more action against the Giants, Jones could also get a longer look under center after the former Ohio State Buckeyes star came within a missed two-point conversion of leading the Bills to a comeback victory in the dying seconds of last week’s loss.
The Giants travel to Buffalo searching for answers following a 27-10 loss to Miami last week, failing to cover as 1-point underdogs. New York starting pivot Eli Manning watched from the sidelines while backups Ryan Nassib and Logan Thomas combined for just nine completed passes and 69 total yards in the air with four turnovers.
Manning’s status for Saturday’s contest has yet to be determined, but his presence would give a big lift to a Giants squad that has posted straight-up wins in just two of their past five pre-season outings, and wrapped up the 2015 NFL campaign on a dismal 1-6 SU run, 3-4 against the spread.
In other NFL Week 2 pre-season odds action, Andrew Luck is expected to make his first appearance of the summer as the Colts play host to the Baltimore Ravens as 2.5-point chalk. Luck was held out of the Colts’ opener in Buffalo, but will likely be busy against the Ravens, who are coming off a 22-19 win over Carolina a week ago.
Fresh off their rout of the Giants, the Dolphins visit the Dallas Cowboys on Friday as 3-point underdogs. Miami used four passers in their win over New York, but will likely turn to starter Ryan Tannehill against the Cowboys. Dallas came up short in a 28-24 pre-season loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but are +175 favourites to emerge as NFC East champions this season.
The New England Patriots host the Chicago Bears as 3.5-point chalk on Thursday night, while the Minnesota Vikings visit the Seattle Seahawks as 3-point underdogs, and the Green Bay Packers take on the Oakland Raiders as 3-point home favourites.
