Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears odds, picks and predictions
The Bills lost 34-25 in their preseason opener against the New York Giants on Aug. 9, but the quarterback battle behind starter Josh Allen was a bright spot. QB Mitch Trubisky, the incumbent backup, went 9-for-13 for 138 yards and a touchdown. QB Mike White also impressed, completing 8-of-13 passes for 112 yards and 2 scores, including a 39-yard strike to WR KJ Hamler. Both QBs made their case for the No. 2 role.
The Bears opened their preseason with a 24-24 tie against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. Starting QB Caleb Williams did not suit up, but veteran backup Case Keenum looked sharp, completing 8-of-10 passes for 80 yards and 2 TDs. Rookie WR Jahdae Walker had 3 catches for 41 yards and a TD in his debut.
WIN YOUR FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE! The Huddle has been turning players like you into winners for over 25 years. This season, it's your turn. Custom fantasy football rankings, sleepers and tools are just a click away. Subscribe now!
Bills at Bears odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:25 a.m. ET.
Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now!
Bills at Bears picks and predictions
Bills 27, Bears 20
Moneyline
BET BILLS (+130).
Sunday night will mark our first look at Williams in Ben Johnson's offense, and while some growing pains are expected, the real edge lies with Buffalo. The Bills' QB competition for the backup role behind the MVP is one of the league's more intriguing battles. Both Trubisky and White have legitimate starting experience, and they'll be motivated to prove themselves against a Bears roster filled with players fighting for spots. That creates a sharp contrast in depth and stability at the most important position. Add in the fact that Buffalo is available at plus odds on the moneyline, and the value becomes even clearer. The Bills' depth at quarterback should give them the upper hand, making them the stronger play in this preseason matchup.
Against the spread
PASS.
I'm going to stay away from the spread in this one. No need to play around with it when you are getting Buffalo at plus odds on the moneyline.
Over/Under
OVER 41.5 (-105).
Both teams cleared this total in their preseason openers, and there's little reason to expect a different outcome Sunday. Buffalo's quarterback battle adds extra intrigue, with both Trubisky and White needing strong performances to impress the coaching staff. With motivated signal-callers on both sides, this matchup sets up well for another Over.
FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS: Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+!
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow @DrewPhelps05 on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
Access more NFL coverage:
TheHuddle Fantasy Football | BearsWire | BengalsWire | BillsWire | BroncosWire | BrownsWire | BucsWire | CardsWire | ChargersWire | ChiefsWire | ColtsWire | CommandersWire | CowboysWire | DolphinsWire | EaglesWire | FalconsWire | GiantsWire | JaguarsWire | JetsWire | LionsWire | NinersWire | PackersWire | PanthersWire | PatriotsWire | RaidersWire | RamsWire | RavensWire | SaintsWire | SeahawksWire | SteelersWire | TexansWire | TitansWire | VikingsWire | DraftWire | TouchdownWire | ListWire
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Caleb Williams looks sharp in Ben Johnson's offense as Bears rout Bills 38-0 in preseason
CHICAGO — Caleb Williams' rocky training camp now seems to be on the upswing. Williams took advantage of his first preseason playing time, connecting with Olamide Zaccheaus for a 36-yard touchdown on the opening drive as the Chicago Bears cruised to 38-0 preseason victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. 'I think it sets the tone for how we expect ourselves to go out there and play, and go out there and perform,' Williams said. 'It was extremely important.' After sitting out a 24-24 tie with Miami last week, Williams came out firing against Buffalo (0-2) in his first chance to operate coach Ben Johnson's offense during a game. 'I thought really the three days of practice we had this week, and the game, were the most he's stacked up good days in a row right now,' Johnson said. 'The challenge is to keep it headed in that direction.' The first pick in the 2024 draft completed throws of 18 yards to rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland and 29 yards to tight end Cole Kmet on a game-opening 92-yard march that concluded when Zaccheaus snagged a throw in the middle of the field on third-and-6, hurdled a tackler and went the distance. Williams has been spotty throughout training camp but he was sharp from the start in this game. He hit on six of his first seven throws, then left after the second possession. He finished 6 of 10 for 102 yards. 'I think had a couple of those (poor) practices throughout camp,' Williams said. 'I felt like I took two steps forward, small things that I felt like I got over. Then I took a step back, probably. 'It's just being able to keep that mindset, the growth mindset, keep growing, keep getting after it.' Tyson Bagent came on to lead three second-quarter touchdown drives as the Bears (1-0-1) took a 28-0 halftime lead. Bagent finished a 61-yard drive by rifling a 10-yard strike in the corner of the end zone to Tyler Scott. Before halftime, newly acquired Bears running back Brittain Brown finished an 86-yard drive with a 1-yard TD plunge, and Ian Wheeler's 1-yard TD run completed an 84-yard drive. Bills coach Sean McDermott held reigning MVP Josh Allen and all of his other starters out of the game. Buffalo's backups struggled throughout the first half on both sides of the ball. 'The quarterback cannot go in the first drive of the game unaffected and he was in a rhythm right away and now you're dealing with it,' McDermott said. 'The quarterback ratings at the end of the game says it all.' Three Bears passers had a 112.0 passer rating, including 130.0 by Williams. The Bills' Mitchell Trubisky, Mike White and Shane Buechele collectively were at 55.7. 'I was looking forward to seeing some guys with the opportunity tonight step up, and I didn't sense that as much as I hoped,' McDermott said. After Wheeler's TD plunge, the Bears had outgained the Bills 343 yards to 22 and owned an 18-1 advantage in first downs. Bagent played until midway through the third quarter and went 13 of 22 for 197 yards, while Wheeler rushed 19 times for 80 yards and Brown 16 times for 73 yards. Trubisky, the former Bears quarterback, relieved Bills starter Mike White and completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards. White went 4 of 11 for 54 yards. Allen hasn't played in either of Buffalo's preseason games. He has thrown at least three passes in every preseason since he came into the league in 2018. Also held out was running back James Cook, who had been staging a hold-in before getting a contract extension . Cook returned to practice this week. McDermott did get a brief look at 2024 draft picks Cole Bishop playing safety. He has been dealing with a quad injury and had a 12-play limit 'He needs more experience, he needs more reps,' McDermott said. 'That's where you work out some of these things and that's how you build the callousness and it comes from experience.' Bills: DB Jordan Hancock left in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Bears: Second-year DE Austin Booker injured a knee covering a kick return and did not return. Booker was off to a fast start with 4 1/2 preseason sacks, including 1 1/2 in the first half against the Bills. ... Rookie RB Deion Hankins suffered a knee injury on the second possession and did not return. The Bears were already without RBs Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer. ... CB Terell Smith suffered a knee injury while making a tackle just before halftime and left the field on a cart. ... DE Dominique Robinson left in the second half with an ankle injury. ... Rookie WR J.P. Richardson (ankle) left in the fourth quarter. Bills: Wrap up the preseason at Tampa Bay on Saturday. Bears: Finish the preseason Friday at Kansas City. ___ AP NFL:
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Studs (and no duds) from Bears' blowout preseason win vs. Bills
The Chicago Bears dominated the Buffalo Bills in a 38-0 preseason win on Sunday night at Soldier Field, which included impressive showings on offense and defense as head coach Ben Johnson quickly set the tone. Quarterback Caleb Williams made his preseason debut, along with the rest of the starters, and he didn't disappoint. Williams and the offense came out firing on the first series of the game, completing 5-of-6 passes for 97 yards on a seven-play, 92-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus. That set the tone for Tyson Bagent and the second-team offense, who scored three consecutive touchdown drives and gave Austin Reed and the third string a 31-point cushion. On defense, it was a flat-out dominant showing. While Josh Allen and Buffalo's starters didn't play in this one, it's never easy to hold a team scoreless. But the Bears, thanks in large part to their defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, established an aggressive tone early and carried that through the remainder of the game with sacks and takeaways. With that in mind, we're taking a look at a myriad of studs (but no duds in this one) in Chicago's preseason win over Buffalo: Stud: QB Caleb Williams Caleb Williams' debut in Ben Johnson's offense got off to a hot start with an impressive seven-play, 92-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 36-yard touchdown. Williams completed 5-of-6 passes for 97 yards, a score and a perfect 158.3 passer rating. The second series wasn't as successful, ending in a punt after wide receiver Rome Odunze failed to haul in a pass on third down, but Williams' night was an overall productive one. Williams completed 6-of-10 passes for 107 yards, one touchdown and a 130.0 passer rating. But, most importantly, he looked comfortable, decisive and sharp in his first live action since Johnson stepped in as head coach. Stud: QB Tyson Bagent Caleb Williams set the tone for the Bears' quarterbacks in this prime-time game, and Tyson Bagent had a sensational outing as he continues to stake his claim for the QB2 job. Bagent played for two quarters and led three consecutive touchdown drives to give Chicago a commanding 28-0 lead in the first half. Bagent completed 13-of-22 passes for 196 yards with one touchdown and a 103.6 passer rating. He continues to showcase why he'll most likely be the team's backup quarterback and also why he deserves a chance to compete for a starting job elsewhere. But, good news for the Bears, he's on their team. Stud: RB Ian Wheeler How's this for a redemption story? Less than a year after he tore his ACL in Chicago's preseason finale, running back Ian Wheeler had a commanding showing against the Bills. Wheeler saw substantial playing time with D'Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai all sidelined, and he made the most of it. Wheeler led the Bears in rushing with 19 carries for 80 yards (averaging 4.2 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. He likely would've had the hat trick had Chicago not gone in victory formation to close out the game inside the red zone. Wheeler is stating his case for a roster spot following an impressive outing. Stud: WR Olamide Zaccheaus Olamide Zaccheaus has emerged as one of Caleb Williams' favorite targets this summer, and we saw that translate to the field in Sunday night's game. Williams connected with Zaccheaus on a 36-yard touchdown, where Zaccheaus had some nice yards after the catch. Zaccheaus had one catch on two targets, but it was a small sample size and reflected his importance in this offense heading into the regular season. Stud: TE Colston Loveland While rookie Colston Loveland officially made his preseason debut in last week's game, this marked the first action with the starters in a live-game setting, and it's clear that he already has Caleb Williams' trust. Loveland had two catches for 26 yards, which both came on that seven-play, 92-yard scoring drive. His best reception was an 18-yard completion across the middle of the field where Loveland got good separation and picked up a first down on second-and-14. Stud: WR Luther Burden III The Bears got a steal in rookie Luther Burden in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft, and he showed why against the Bills. Burden caught all three passes thrown his way for 49 yards (which ranked second behind Tyler Scott), where we saw his ability to gain yards after the catch. While Burden showcased his playmaking ability in the passing game, he also showed up big in run blocking. Burden had two big goal-line blocks that led to touchdowns, and it's clear that the young wideout has bought into Ben Johnson's philosophy. As Johnson's saying goes, "No block, no rock." And Burden took that personally. Stud: DT Andrew Billings One of the Bears' most underrated players is defensive tackle Andrew Billings, who's been instrumental to the success of Chicago's run defense. Booker, who's a monster of a player, had an impressive outing in Sunday's preseason game against the Bills. While he's known for his run blocking prowess, he flashed his interior pass rushing ability against Buffalo's backups, where he sacked quarterback Mike White. Billings totaled two tackles, including one for a loss, one sack and one QB hit in the dominant win. Stud: DE Austin Booker Second-year pro Austin Booker has been a preseason standout, and after his three-sack game against the Miami Dolphins, he brought the energy against the Bills with another sack. Booker finished with two tackles, including one for a loss, one sack, one QB hit and one pass breakup. Unfortunately, Booker's night was cut short after he suffered a knee injury during a special teams play. He was quickly ruled out. The hope is it's nothing serious and Booker will be able to get back on the field and do what he does best: Get after quarterbacks. Stud: WR Tyler Scott The Bears have a loaded wide receivers room, and there are plenty of players making their case for the final roster spot. Tyler Scott is certainly in contention for that final spot, and he put on an impressive performance with Tyson Bagent throwing him the ball. Scott led Chicago in receiving with 54 yards on three receptions, including an 11-yard touchdown reception from Bagent. Scott is certainly making a strong statement when it comes to earning one of those final roster spots.
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Associated Press
Caleb Williams looks sharp in Ben Johnson's offense as Bears rout Bills 38-0 in preseason
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams took advantage of his first preseason playing time, connecting with Olamide Zaccheaus for a 36-yard touchdown on the opening drive as the Chicago Bears cruised to 38-0 preseason victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. After sitting out a 24-24 tie with Miami last week, Williams came out firing against Buffalo (0-2) in his first chance to operate coach Ben Johnson's offense during a game. The first pick in the 2024 draft completed throws of 18 yards to rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland and 29 yards to tight end Cole Kmet on a game-opening 92-yard march that concluded when Zaccheaus snagged a throw in the middle of the field on third-and-6, hurdled a tackler and went the distance. Williams' play throughout training camp has been spotty but he was sharp from the start. He hit on six of his first seven throws, then left after the second possession. He finished 6 of 10 for 102 yards. Tyson Bagent came on to lead three second-quarter touchdown drives as the Bears (1-0-1) took a 28-0 halftime lead. Bagent finished a 61-yard drive by rifling a 10-yard strike in the corner of the end zone to Tyler Scott. Before halftime, newly acquired Bears running back Brittain Brown finished an 86-yard drive with a 1-yard TD plunge, and Ian Wheeler's 1-yard TD run completed an 84-yard drive. Bills coach Sean McDermott held reigning MVP Josh Allen and all of his other starters out of the game. Buffalo's backups struggled throughout the first half on both sides of the ball. After Wheeler's TD plunge, the Bears had outgained the Bills 343 yards to 22 and owned an 18-1 advantage in first downs. Bagent played until midway through the third quarter and went 13 of 22 for 197 yards, while Wheeler rushed 19 times for 80 yards and Brown 16 times for 73 yards. Former Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky relieved Bills starter Mike White and completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards. White went 4 of 11 for 54 yards. Waiting it out Allen hasn't played in either of Buffalo's preseason games. He has thrown at least three passes in every preseason since he came into the league in 2018. Also held out was running back James Cook, who had been staging a hold-in before getting a contract extension . Cook returned to practice this week. Injuries Bills: DB Jordan Hancock left in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Bears: Second-year DE Austin Booker injured a knee covering a kick return and did not return. Booker was off to a fast start with 4 1/2 preseason sacks, including 1 1/2 in the first half against the Bills. ... Rookie RB Deion Hankins suffered a knee injury on the second possession and did not return. The Bears were already without RBs Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer. ... CB Terell Smith suffered a knee injury while making a tackle just before halftime and left the field on a cart. ... DE Dominique Robinson left in the second half with an ankle injury. ... Rookie WR J.P. Richardson (ankle) left in the fourth quarter. Up next Bills: Wrap up the preseason by playing at Tampa Bay on Saturday. Bears: Finish the preseason Friday at Kansas City. ___ AP NFL:
