The best game on the Week 10 NFL schedule might be the inter-conference battle between the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills. At home in the desert, the Cardinals are slim 2-point favorites with an over/under of 56 points.
After a couple of hiccups, the Bills are back on track with three straight wins. Last week’s win over Seattle was particularly impressive, as Buffalo handed the Seahawks just their second loss of the season. However, the Bills aren’t yet running away with the AFC East, as the Dolphins are still lurking in the water. Buffalo also doesn’t want to head into next week’s bye coming off a loss.
Speaking of the Dolphins, they’re the team that just ruined Arizona’s recent three-game winning streak. After out-dueling Russell Wilson and the Seahawks in the desert, the Cardinals fell a field goal short against Miami.
The loss dropped the Cardinals to 5-3, tying them for second place in the NFC West, a game back of Seattle. With a rematch against Seattle on tap for Thursday, the Cards can’t afford to drop a second straight game in such a competitive division.
A Little Help
There’s no question that Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray is becoming a star right before our eyes. However, he doesn’t always get the help that he needs.
Arizona’s running game is average at best when you take away the yards Murray picks up with his legs, especially with Kenyan Drake out with an injury. Nevertheless, the Cardinals have scored at least 30 points in four straight games, albeit against some weak defensive teams.
On that note, it’s still unclear what kind of defense team the Bills are. Buffalo has the personnel to be a top-5 defense, but they remain stuck in the middle of the pack.
Last week’s game was a microcosm of the team’s inconsistency on that side of the ball. On the one hand, the Bills forced five sacks and four turnovers. On the other hand, they also surrendered 34 points, albeit against an explosive Seattle offense.
Rise Again
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen has endured a few rough weeks after playing like a Pro Bowler in September. But he appears to be back on track after throwing for over 400 yards and three touchdowns against Seattle.
The problem is that his offensive line allowed him to get sacked seven times. The Buffalo rushing attack remains sluggish and inconsistent, leaving the Bills reliant on Allen carrying them.
Nevertheless, Allen and the Bills should provide a stiff challenge for a struggling Arizona defense. The Cardinals didn’t do enough to slow down Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami offense last week, giving up over 30 points for the third time this season. Despite having a defense that stops the run, the Cardinals can struggle to slow down the passing game, especially when they aren’t able to create turnovers.
Proving Ground
This is a big opportunity for both teams to prove themselves against a winning team. Of course, the Bills already have four wins over winning teams this year while the Cardinals have just one. Buffalo is a little more reliable at this point, and with a spread that’s so that close it’s basically a toss-up, bet on the Bills.
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