Bills Fans and Bettors are Licking Their Wounds After Loss to Bengals

Joe Burrow Dominated the Bills' Defence

Anyone who watched the game was blown away by the scale of it, considering that the Bills were 5.5-point favourites going in.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow, with absolute operating room clinical efficiency throughout the game, ended at 23-of-26, 242 yards and two TDs (plus one called back that could have gone the other way), and no interceptions. 

In many ways, the game was over on the first Bengals’ drive – six plays, culminating in a Ja’Marr Chase 28-yard TD. Chase was open, playing off a busted Bills coverage. Bills linebacker Matt Milano said afterward the defence had little energy or drive – that’s a big concern for the team going forward. 

Others are dumping on the Bills coaching staff. That was the big story on the day - a Bills defence that incredulously failed to adjust to what Burrow and the offence were doing. The Bills' lone TD was a 1-yard run by QB Josh Allen (25-of-42, 265 yards, one interception). 

The Bengals had injuries to key starters on their offensive line, yet Burrow faced little pressure from the Bills' D line all game. The Bills had just one sack and three hits to the QB. Quick throws by Burrow and a good rushing attack (Joe Mixon had 105 yards on 20 carries and a TD), and it was over.

The Bills' offensive line didn’t adapt to what the Bengals were doing – Allen was hit eight times. And star receiver Stefon Diggs caught just four balls for 35 yards. Perhaps most telling in terms of how the afternoon would go was that third-down pass to Diggs on the first drive that sailed over Digg’s head – that would have been a big play and set a tone for the game.

The early line on Bengals-Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday – Bengals +1, Chiefs -1, moneyline  is Bengals 1.95, Chiefs 1.87. More respect for the Bengals? Well, they sure earned it. Or maybe there’s more concern over the high ankle sprain Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes suffered Saturday against Jacksonville.

How Sportsbooks Fared in Bills loss to Bengals

At Proline, 63% of their customers had the Bengals +6.5 points. However, just 41% expected them to win the Bills game outright – not a surprise since the Bills are almost considered a home team for Ontario bettors. Just 26% took the Under 49.5 points despite the snowy conditions in Buffalo. The Bills-Bengals game was the top event for the week for Proline, second to the Dallas-San Francisco game last night.

At BetMGM, the NFL games were the most bet events in Ontario this weekend, and Bills-Bengals was the most bet game. At the Spread of 5.5, 36% of bets, and 26% of the money in Ontario were on the Bills. 

On the Bengals moneyline close at +200, 65% of the bets and 68% of the money were on the Bengals (interesting: in the U.S., 81% of the Moneyline bets and 59% of the money were on the Bengals). So there were fewer bets in Ontario on the Bengals to win the game outright – speaking to the emotional connection Ontarians have with the Bills.

And PointsBet reports that Bills-Bengals was the third most bet game overall over the weekend – and was No. 1 in Ontario.