Washington vs Buffalo | 2021 NFL Game Preview

It’s a matchup of 2020 division champions on Sunday from Buffalo as the Washington Commanders visits the Bills with both clubs at 1-1. The Bills are one of the bigger Week 3 favorites on the NFL odds even though Washington is on extra rest.

How to Bet WFT at Bills NFL Odds & TV Info

When: Sunday, 1 PM ET
Where: Highmark Stadium
TV: Fox
Radio: http://www.siriusxm.com/nfl
Stream Option: NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV
Opening NFL Lines: Bills -8 (total 45)

Last Meeting

In 2019, Washington also visited Buffalo and lost 24-9. After leading 17-3 following its first three possessions, Buffalo allowed Washington to cut it to eight before Devin Singletary scored on a 2-yard run with 2:21 left. Josh Allen threw for 160 yards and a TD. Dustin Hopkins accounted for all of Washington’s points with three field goals, the longest from 39 yards. Buffalo is one of Washington’s least-common opponents with just 14 matchups since 1972.

Why Bet on Washington?

Washington was a 30-29 winner last Thursday over the New York Giants. Dustin Hopkins made a 43-yard field goal on an untimed down — after a penalty negated his miss seconds earlier. Washington walked off with a game-winning regulation field goal for the first time since October 19, 2014 when kicker Kai Forbath knocked a 22-yard field goal to beat Tennessee.

In his first regular-season start since 2018, QB Taylor Heinicke completed 34-of-46 passes for 336 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He cost Washington dearly with a late interception, but after Graham Gano’s fifth field goal of the game gave the Giants a 29-27 lead with 2:00 remaining, Heinicke guided Washington back into field goal range.

WR Terry McLaurin caught a career-high 11 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. It was the seventh 100-yard receiving game of McLaurin’s career and first since tallying 115 against the Giants on November 8th of last season. McLaurin’s seven 100-yard games through his first 31-career games are the second-most in franchise history behind Gary Clark. McLaurin now has 21 games of at least 60 receiving yards, the fourth-most through 21 games in NFL history.

End Montez Sweat tallied a sack of six yards, his fourth-straight game with at least one sack, the longest active streak in the NFL. Sweat has at least one sack in in 15 of his first 34 career games, tied with DE Ryan Kerrigan for the most in franchise history.

Washington is 5-9 in the regular season against Buffalo, including a 2-6 mark in upstate New York. The game will be a rematch of Washington’s 37-24 victory in Super Bowl XXVI. Washington is seeking its first win against Buffalo since Nov. 1, 1987.

Why Bet on Buffalo?

The Bills dominated the Dolphins last Sunday, 35-0. It was Buffalo’s first road shoutout victory since Oct. 2, 2016 (at New England). The defensive front consistently rocked the Dolphins offensive line back on their heels and their pass rush knifed into the backfield with regularity. They not only logged six sacks, but 11 quarterback hits. Five different Bills players logged sacks in the game with rookie Greg Rousseau notching the first pair of his career to pace the group.

Buffalo pressured Tua Tagovailoa and backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett on 28.6 percent of blitzes Sunday, the second-best mark in the NFL during Week 2. The Patriots, by comparison, pressured Tagovailoa on 14.3 percent of blitzes during their Week 1 matchup. The Bills pass defense has been solid over the first two weeks of the season and hasn’t allowed an opposing receiver to have more than 55 yards receiving.

Josh Allen completed 17-of-33 passes for 179 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Allen was also Buffalo’s second-leading rusher with 35 yards. Allen has got off to a slow start, averaging just 225 yards with a 3:1 TD/INT ratio though the first two games. He has completed just33.3 percent of his pass attempts of 10-25 yards through Week 2.

Last year, Allen completed 62.5 percent of his attempts between 10 and 25 yards beyond the line of scrimmage — a 12 percent improvement over his 2019 numbers. His adjusted completion rate stands at 69.4 percent, about 10 percent lower than his 2020 rate.

Allen does have a touchdown pass in 10 consecutive games – the longest streak by a Bills QB since Ryan Fitzpatrick 2009-10. Allen has passed for 10,000 career yards in his 46th game – he is the second-fastest to reach 10K in team history (Jim Kelly, 45 games).

Two former Bills players will be returning to Buffalo on Sunday. Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins was a sixth-round pick by the Bills back in 2013. Washington tight end Logan Thomas spent three seasons in Buffalo from 2016-2018.

Buffalo coach Sean McDermott and Washington coach Ron Rivera have a storied history and a lot of respect for one another. The two started coaching together under Andy Reid in Philadelphia from 2001-2003. The two reunited in 2011 when Rivera was hired as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers, and he named McDermott his defensive coordinator.