The Buffalo Bills unveil a new-look offense Sunday in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Gone are receivers Stephon Diggs and Gabe Davis. They are replaced by Curtis Samuel, Kahlil Shakir, and Keon Coleman. The key, however, is Josh Allen remains under center for the Bills.
The Bills’ defense still features a trio of pass rushers in Greg Rousseau, Ed Oliver, and AJ Epenesa. Gone, however, are three key pieces from what has been at times a dominant defense the past few years. Matt Milano was lost for the season due to injury during training camp and Buffalo’s Pro Bowl safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde departed in the offseason. Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp will attempt to fill that void in the backfield.
If you look at the glass as half-full, Buffalo looks like a team reloading on the fly. If you are less of an optimist, they could appear to be a team that struggles just to make the postseason.
Opinions vary as well about the Cardinals’ prospects for success in 2024. Kyler Murray is healthy, and the offense has added arguably the top wide receiver prospect from April’s Draft in Marvin Harrison, Jr. That offense, though, will need to not only be dynamic but also efficient as the Arizona defense is still a work in progress. Head Coach Jonathan Gannon appears to get the most out of his players, but the talent on the defensive side of the ball is limited.
NBC Sports has all the latest info and analysis you need, including how to tune in for kickoff, live odds from BetMGM, player news and updates, and of course our predictions and best bets for the game from our staff of experts.
Listen to the Bet the Edge podcast as hosts Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick provide listeners with sharp actionable insight, market analysis and statistical data to help bettors gain more information before placing their wagers. So whether you’re targeting spreads and totals, looking for value in futures markets or circling player props, give their podcast a listen to give you that extra edge.
How to watch Arizona vs. Buffalo live Sunday afternoon:
- Date: Sunday, September 8, 2024
- Time: 1 PM EST
- Site: Highmark Stadium
- City: Buffalo, NY
- TV/Streaming: CBS
Want to check out the other games on the NFL schedule this week? We’ve got you covered right here on NBC Sports with all the matchup, venue, game-time and TV/streaming info so you won’t miss any of the action!
Latest Game odds for Cardinals vs. Bills - Week 1
The latest odds as of Saturday morning via DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Arizona (+240), Buffalo (-298)
- Spread: Bills -6.5
- Total: 47
This game opened at Buffalo -7 with a Total of 48.5. The Spread has crossed below a key number, but it has not been attractive enough for the Sharps to grab the Bills and push the Spread back to 7.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NFL schedule!
NBC Sports Bet Best Bets
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) likes the Bills laying the points but his preferred play is in the prop market.
“Naturally, I’d want to lay the 6½ because the Bills have been dominant, but I’m actually going to the prop market. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir over 3½ receptions. He hit this number in 3 out of the last 4 games to end last season. And oh yeah, no, Stephon Diggs anymore in Upstate New York.”
Cardinals vs. Bills team stats, betting trends
· Arizona is 2-10 on the Moneyline in their last 12 road games
· Cardinals’ defense gave up an average of 26.8pts/game in 2023.
· Cardinals’ defense tallied just 33 sacks in 2023.
· Bills’ defense yielded just 18.3pts/game last season
Quarterback matchup for Arizona Cardinals vs. Buffalo Bills
- Cardinals: Kyler Murray – the former Heisman winner returned to the field following knee surgery and played the final 8 games of 2023 completing 65.7% of his passes and totalling 1799 yards with 10 TDs and 5 INTs
- Bills: Josh Allen – the NFL leader in TD passes since 2020 will be breaking in a new receiving corps with Diggs and Davis departing via trade and free agency. Dalton Kincaid, Curtis Samuel, Kahlil Shakir, and Keon Coleman will be primary targets for the Bills’ signal-caller.
Player news & injuries
- Cardinals’ WR Xavier Weaver (oblique) has been ruled out of Sunday’s game.
- Bills’ Matt Milano (biceps) is out for the season.
- Bills’ Dawuane Smoot (toe) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest betting info & tools for NFL with game predictions, player props, futures, and trends!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
