You'd be hard-pressed to find two teams billed as contenders in the preseason on more divergent paths than the Bills and Chargers.
Buffalo has been brimming with optimism, and with good reason. Under first-year coach Joe Brady, the league's highest-scoring offense has tapped into a fresh sense of aggressiveness, with Josh Allen topping his 2024 NFL MVP form.
Meanwhile, the Bolts have been the NFL's biggest early-season letdown. Visions of Mike McDaniel's offense kicking a plodding attack into high gear haven't come to fruition, with things looking more disjointed than ever for Justin Herbert, his vulnerable offensive line and his suspect receiving corps. The discord reached a new height in Week 2, when Los Angeles fumbled six times, though it lost
just one.
Buffalo is still getting its defense up to speed after becoming just the third team in NFL history to start 2-0 despite givng up more than 30 points in each of its first two contests. But Los Angeles could have a hard time keeping edge rusher Greg Rousseau and massive defensive tackle Deone Walker at bay.
The Chargers haven't started a season 0-3 since 2017, when they were still playing at the StubHub Center, but things could get out of hand quickly for a franchise that will face five playoff teams from 2025 in its next seven games.
Bills vs Chargers odds, moneyline, over/under
Opening lines:
- Spread: Bills -7.5
- Moneyline: Bills -330; Chargers +310
- Total: 50.5
Get the edge with our exclusive NFL betting picks
Chargers at Bills score predictions
Adam Kaufman: Bills 34, Chargers 24
Early MVP favorite Josh Allen is simply playing at another level. He and reigning NFL rushing champion James Cook have an excellent matchup against a Chargers defense that had trouble getting the Cardinals' and Raiders' offenses off the field. Even if DJ Moore misses the game with his sprained AC joint, Buffalo has more than enough firepower at home to cruise. Los Angeles has opened the season with consecutive 26-14 losses, and Justin Herbert looks completely out of sorts in Mike McDaniel's offense. Granted, after years of coaching the Dolphins, McDaniel is plenty familiar with the Bills. But that familiarity only matters if his play-calling translates into results. Herbert needs to start executing before we can take the Chargers seriously against the league's elite.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Bills 35, Chargers 24
The Chargers' reward for flubbing their first two matchups against opponents that had a combined six wins last season is ... A road date with the Bills. Good luck, Jim Harbaugh. Maybe a Buffalo defense that's been picked apart in the early going could help Mike McDaniel's off-kilter attack find its stride, but there's little chance that Los Angeles can fully keep pace with Josh Allen. After giving up a combined 50 points through the first two weeks, the Chargers' defense could be approaching a breaking appoint against a Bills team that will sure to strain it vertically in the passing attack as well as in the ground game.
Nate Davis: Bills 26, Chargers 14
Neither team has played much defense this season, though the Bills, under the watch of new coordinator Jim Leonhard, have at least made a handful of critical plays on the way to their 2-0 start. Unfortunately for the winless Bolts, they're not playing much offense, either – so rather difficult to see how they bow up against early MVP frontrunner Josh Allen, who's already accounted for nine touchdowns himself this season … Five more than the Chargers have collectively.
Richard Morin: Bills 23, Chargers 20
It's been a rough start for the Chargers and things aren't getting any easier with a formidable road matchup against the Bills and an early start for the Los Angeles side. Look, the Chargers will string together some wins eventually but it's hard to see that trend beginning in Buffalo. Josh Allen and Co. have looked solid and had a few extra days of rest following their 41-point outburst Week 2 on Thursday Night Football. All signs point toward a Bills victory.
Where to watch Chargers at Bills
- Matchup: Bills vs. Chargers
- Date: Sept. 27
- Time: 1:00 p.m.
- Venue: Highmark Stadium
- Location: Orchard Park, New York
- TV: Fox
NFL Week 3 picks and predictions
- Falcons at Packers
- Chargers at Bills
- Raiders at Saints
- Patriots at Jaguars
- Texans at Colts
- Seahawks at Commanders
- Chiefs at Dolphins
- Jets at Lions
- Bengals at Steelers
- Vikings at Buccaneers
- Titans at Giants
- Cardinals at 49ers
- Panthers at Browns
- Ravens at Cowboys
- Rams at Broncos
- Eagles at Bears
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chargers at Bills: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL Week 3 game
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