Buffalo (4-0) at Tennessee (3-0)
When: Tuesday, October 13th, 2020
Where: Nissan Stadium,
Nashville, TN
Time: 7:00 ET | TV: CBS
Opening Odds: Buffalo -3/53.5
One of the best matchups on the Week 5 schedule involved a couple of surprising undefeated teams in the Buffalo Bills (4-0) and Tennessee Titans (3-0). That game has been in danger all week with several Titans testing positive for Covid-19 since their last game on Sept. 27. The NFL has delayed this as much as they can and it appears will get a great Tuesday Night Football matchup on CBS assuming nobody else tests positive. The Titans are eager to get back onto the field after 23 players or staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 since their 31-30 win over the Vikings. Among the players affected are their top two receivers, Corey Davis and Adam Humphries. Tennessee’s scheduled Week 4 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was postponed until Oct. 25, and the Titans set themselves up for possible league sanctions for not following proper protocols before and during the situation. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that teams in violation of league rules concerning COVID-19 protocols could be subject to punishments ranging from fines to lost draft picks to even forfeits. The Bills were supposed to play this Thursday night in Kansas City, but of course that can’t happen on one day rest, so the team will play the Chiefs this coming Monday afternoon. Buffalo owns a two-game lead over the New England Patriots in the AFC East after a 30-23 road win last week over the Las Vegas Raiders. This game is scheduled to be played in front of around 8,600 fans at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium. Buffalo has won each of the last three meetings with each one going way under the posted total.
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is coming into his own and has turned around this Bills’ offense. He’s completing 70.9 percent of his passes for 1,326 yards with 12 touchdowns with only a single interception. It has helped landing former Minnesota standout Stefon Diggs in the offseason to go along with John Brown and Cole Beasley at wide receiver. The Bills rank in the top five in points per game (30.8), yards per game (409.8) and passing yards per game (316.3). Allen passed for 288 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-34 completions versus the Raiders, while Diggs had 115 receiving yards on six receptions and seven targets. The Bills are 3-1 against the spread in their last four games overall.
The Tennessee roster is going to be extremely limited this week with players that tested positive not expected to play. They will have a long break since their last game for the healthy players to get ready for a matchup against a very good Bills team. In their most recent game, the Titans narrowly escaped with a one-point win in Minnesota and are just +6 in point differential despite a 3-0 record. Derrick Henry led the team with 119 rushing yards and two scores on 26 carries versus the Vikings, while the defense came up with three forced turnovers. The Titans’ defense intercepted Kirk Cousins twice but were gouged in the running game, surrendering 226 yards on 33 carries. The over is 7-3 in the Titans’ last 10 home games, dating back to 2018.
Depth is going to be a real challenge for Tennessee in this one and their defense already isn’t good enough to slow down Allen and company right now. Look for Buffalo’s defense to also come up big as they win this one by a touchdown.
Pick: Bills -3.5
Week 5 Staff Selections
