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NFL PicksSun 1:00 PM ET
New England Patriots logo
New England
Patriots
1-2
versus
Buffalo Bills logo
Buffalo
Bills
3-0
NFL · NE at BUF

Your Picks on Patriots vs Bills

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New England vs Buffalo consensus picks

NE22%
78%BUF

New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills Predictions October 4, 2026

Game time: October 4, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET

Venue: Highmark Stadium — Orchard Park, NY

Article updated Oct 3, 3:13 AM EDT

By SportsJaw Editorial Team

The Buffalo Bills will beat the New England Patriots, with a projected score of Buffalo 31, New England 17. Buffalo's productive pass rush gets the strongest matchup advantage against Drake Maye's early turnover struggles. Bills -7 (-105) offers an actionable spread wager at the supplied price. The total of 50 (-110 each way) is a Pass despite the 48-point forecast.

New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills prediction and best bet

Buffalo Bills -7 (-105) is the best bet because the defensive matchup offers a credible route to a win by more than a touchdown. Buffalo recorded nine sacks and 36 quarterback pressures through three weeks. Maye threw six interceptions and lost a fumble over his first three starts, creating an obvious concern against that rush.

New England's absences strengthen the case for Buffalo to pull away. Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore are out, leaving the Patriots with defensive personnel to replace while their offense tries to recover from a six-point performance. The forecast is Buffalo 31, New England 17, with medium confidence. Buffalo's own injuries keep the spread recommendation from carrying stronger conviction.

Odds, game time and how to watch

Game: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills, Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season.

Kickoff: Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Venue: Highmark Stadium.

Broadcast: CBS, with Ian Eagle, Ross Tucker and Evan Washburn.

Records: New England 1-2; Buffalo 3-0. This is Buffalo's first AFC East matchup of the season.

SportsJaw spreads: New England +7 (-115); Buffalo -7 (-105). Moneylines: New England +263; Buffalo -325. Total: Over 50 (-110); Under 50 (-110).

New England Patriots outlook

New England's immediate priority is getting steadier quarterback play. Maye had one touchdown pass against six interceptions through three starts, plus one lost fumble. His 58.6 passer rating and 28.8 third-down passer rating ranked last among quarterbacks who started all three games, according to Buffalo's matchup report. Those numbers make sustained drives a central concern in this forecast.

The Patriots lost 35-6 at Jacksonville in Week 3 and now play on the road for a second consecutive week. Against Buffalo, avoiding obvious passing situations would help reduce the opportunities for its rush to attack. That is a tactical requirement for New England, not evidence that the offense has already found a solution.

The injury list complicates both sides of the ball. Gonzalez and Barmore are out with shoulder injuries, and Brenden Schooler is also out. Morgan Moses and Eli Raridon are among the players listed questionable. A.J. Brown has been on injured reserve since Week 2 and remains unavailable.

There is a relevant counterpoint to a comfortable Buffalo forecast: New England won 23-20 in Buffalo last October. That result shows a previous road win in this matchup, although it offers less guidance than the current quarterback performance and injury reports.

Buffalo Bills outlook

Buffalo enters its third consecutive home game unbeaten after rallying from a 10-point deficit to beat the Chargers 24-16. On Los Angeles' final three possessions, the Bills forced a punt, intercepted a pass and stopped a fourth-down attempt. That finish gives the forecast a concrete example of Buffalo protecting a lead through defensive stops.

The broader pressure numbers are equally relevant. Through three weeks, Buffalo ranked sixth in sacks with nine, sixth in quarterback pressures with 36 and fourth in quarterback knockdowns with 16. Its blitz rate was 16.9%, fourth-lowest in the league. Producing pressure while committing relatively few extra rushers should make Maye's decisions more difficult.

Greg Rousseau accounted for six sacks, 14 pressures, 12 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss and three forced fumbles through three games. His production makes Moses' questionable status particularly relevant to New England's protection outlook.

Buffalo has meaningful uncertainty too. Christian Benford missed the practice week with a toe injury and is questionable. Ray Davis is questionable with a hamstring injury, while T.J. Sanders is doubtful following an appendectomy. Keon Coleman was limited Friday with an ankle injury, although coach Joe Brady expected him to be available Sunday. Those concerns temper the case for a comfortable margin.

Key matchup factors

The decisive question is whether New England can finish possessions without giving Buffalo favorable scoring opportunities. Pressure can end drives, but takeaways can also shorten the field. That combination favors Buffalo on the spread while making the scoring outcome less straightforward. Benford's uncertain availability is the clearest injury counterweight to the Bills' defensive advantage.

As of October 3, the blended spread consensus favored Buffalo -7 (-105) at 70%, with 421 Buffalo selections among 602 combined modeled selections. Those counts combine modeled sportsbook participation and SportsJaw participation; they are not observed sportsbook ticket totals. New England gained one percentage point from the previous day's snapshot. The consensus describes sentiment, not Buffalo's probability of covering.

New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills spread prediction

Spread recommendation: Buffalo Bills -7 (-105). The case rests on Buffalo's pressure production against Maye's turnovers, reinforced by New England's defensive absences. The projected 14-point margin leaves room above the seven-point spread.

An exact seven-point Buffalo victory would push; a narrower win would lose this wager. Buffalo's 24-16 win last week also cautions against treating every victory as a comfortable cover. Even with that risk, the combination of pressure and New England's personnel losses makes Buffalo -7 (-105) more attractive than Patriots +7 (-115). The recommendation carries medium confidence.

New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills total prediction

Total recommendation: Pass on Over 50 (-110) and Under 50 (-110). The projected 48 points sit below the line, but that small gap is not enough to make Under the recommended wager.

New England's six-point outing and Maye's passing struggles suggest scoring limitations. Conversely, turnovers could hand Buffalo short fields, while the Patriots' defensive absences could make stops harder to obtain. Benford's uncertain status adds another variable. These competing paths leave the total less persuasive than the spread, even though the central forecast finishes below 50.

New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills projected score

Game forecast: Buffalo Bills 31, New England Patriots 17. Buffalo's ability to pressure the quarterback with a low blitz rate is the strongest reason to expect the Bills to control this matchup. New England's turnover record and missing defenders support a margin beyond one possession.

The strongest counterargument is Buffalo's own injury uncertainty, particularly Benford's status, alongside the limited three-game sample behind the performance numbers. New England's win in Buffalo last season is another reason to leave room for a closer result. Confidence is medium. The single official SportsJaw wager is Buffalo Bills -7 (-105); both directions on the total of 50 (-110 each way) are a Pass.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

NE17

BUF31

Projected winner Buffalo BillsConfidenceStrong Lean — Buffalo Bills
Pick on the Spread

Strong Lean — Buffalo Bills -7

Editorial pick at publication: Spread: Buffalo Bills -7 (-105)

Pick on the Total

Slight Lean — Under 50

Editorial pick at publication: Pass on Over 50 (-110) and Under 50 (-110)

Sources

  • New England PatriotsGame Preview: Patriots at Bills | NFL Week 4
  • Buffalo BillsTop Storylines for Bills vs. Patriots | Week 4
  • Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills Injury Report vs. Patriots Week 4

SportsJaw Patriots vs Bills game preview analysis and predictions incorporate current odds, injury reports, team statistics and market data. Information is updated regularly, but lines and player availability can change. Please confirm current information before wagering. View history of past Patriots vs Bills matchups or learn how our predictions work.

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