Through two weeks, the Buffalo Bills have looked like a team that knows exactly where it's going. The Los Angeles Chargers, meanwhile, are still searching for a direction.
Buffalo couldn't have asked for a better start to the Joe Brady era. The Bills opened the season on the road, knocking off the Houston Texans
36-31, then returned home and put on an offensive showcase against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.Buffalo jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never surrendered control, cruising to a 41-31 victory. At the center of it all has been Josh Allen, who has looked every bit like an MVP candidate through the opening two weeks. Against Detroit, Allen accounted for five touchdowns, while James Cook continued to make defenses pay on the ground and Dalton
Kincaid has emerged as another dangerous weapon in an offense that suddenly has answers everywhere. Then there are the Chargers.
Jim Harbaugh's team has arguably been the NFL's biggest disappointment through two weeks, stumbling to a 0-2 start after consecutive home losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders. Both games ended with Los Angeles scoring just 14 points, and the offense has struggled to stay on schedule or sustain drives consistently. Mike McDaniel's arrival was supposed to unlock a new dimension for Justin Herbert, but the results haven't matched expectations.
Now, instead of facing another easy opponent in their own building, the Chargers head to Buffalo to face Allen, Cook, Kincaid and a Bills team brimming with confidence. That raises the obvious question: Can Los Angeles keep pace with Buffalo's offense - and keep this game from getting away from them? Here are our predictions and picks:
Chargers at Bills live odds
Opening Lines
- Spread: Bills -7
- Moneyline: Bills -330; Chargers +275
- Over/Under: 50.5
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Chargers at Bills picks against the spread
Adam Kaufman: Bills -7
The Bills are a rocket ship. The Chargers are the fancy car in your garage that looks great but won't start. Whether we've overhyped Justin Herbert, given Mike McDaniel too much credit or the two simply can't get on the same page behind an unreliable offensive line, Los Angeles has opened with consecutive 26-14 home losses. The Bolts are only the second team in the Super Bowl era to lose outright in the first two weeks of the season as a favorite of at least six points. Now the Chargers fly across the country to face a rested Buffalo team that totaled 484 yards and 41 points against Detroit. The Bills' defense is vulnerable, but Josh Allen and reigning rushing champion James Cook look unstoppable. Jim Harbaugh has successfully navigated cross-country trips before. This one feels like too steep a climb.
Tom Viera: Bills -7
The Bills have looked nearly unstoppable and Josh Allen looks like the best player in the league. Allen has already accounted for nine touchdowns without throwing an interception, including five total scores in Buffalo's demolition of Detroit last Thursday night. The Chargers have looked like the exact opposite. Los Angeles' offense has struggled to find any consistency, and Justin Herbert couldn't keep pace with Jacoby Brissett and Kirk Cousins. He has no chance of keeping up with Allen right now. Buffalo's offense is averaging more than 38 points per game. There's little reason to expect Los Angeles to suddenly figure things out against them. The Bills are rolling, the Chargers are reeling. Buffalo blows this one open and keeps its perfect start intact. Lay the points.
Nick Brinkerhoff: Bills -7
It would be so on brand for the NFL if the Chargers managed to upset the Bills after losing to the Cardinals and Raiders. No one is giving them a chance, but it's for good reason. Buffalo has been on another level so far this season and L.A. can't get out of its own way. Josh Allen and the Bills should take care of business rather easily, as long as the new alternate jerseys aren't cursed.
Blake Schuster: Chargers +7
I'm not ready to give up on the Chargers yet. And as scoring has started to come back down to Earth a bit in Week 2, this could be a good place to zag a bit. I think Buffalo wins and but this one stays within the spread.
Where to watch Chargers at Bills
- Matchup: Bills vs. Chargers
- Date: Sept. 27
- Time: 1 p.m.
- Venue: Highmark Stadium
- Location: Orchard Park, New York
- TV: Fox
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bills vs Chargers spread predictions, odds for NFL Week 3 game
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