Thanksgiving week is officially here, which means it is time for some Buffalo Bills Week 12 bold predictions. The Bills will be back in Detroit but this time to face the Lions on Thursday.
Buffalo is coming off an important 31-23 win over the Cleveland Browns. Prior to that matchup, the Bills were on a two-game losing streak, including a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings. With a 7-3 record, the team is currently second in the AFC East.
After losing six of their first seven contests in 2022, the Lions seem to be back on track. They have three straight victories and are now second in the NFC North.
While Buffalo sounds like the favorite, Detroit has momentum on its side. With that being said, here are three bold predictions for the Bills as they face the Lions in Week 12 for a Thanksgiving showdown.
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3. The Bills force at least two turnovers
Although Buffalo's defense has had some ups and downs this season, the unit is still a very important part of the team's success. In seven out of their 10 games in 2022, the Bills allowed 20 or fewer points. That includes two contests not allowing double-digit scores by opponents.
Perhaps the biggest threat the Bills can bring on Thursday is their interceptions. Buffalo leads the NFL with 13 interceptions, which includes a pick-six versus the Tennessee Titans.
Detroit quarterback Jared Goff has a completion rate of 63.9% for 2,442 yards and 15 touchdowns against seven picks. He was sacked 15 times, ranking in the top three in the league for the fewest sacks allowed by an offense.
With future Hall of Famer Von Miller challenging Goff throughout the day, the quarterback will be under pressure for most of the snaps. This could cause sacks, which could lead to forced fumbles. Additionally, Goff might be forced to throw bad passes and potential interceptions.
Even if Detroit's offensive line is doing a solid job this season, the bold prediction is that Buffalo's defense will prevail. Expect the Bills to force at least two turnovers, starting with Miller pressuring Goff.
2. Josh Allen finishes with 450+ all-purpose yards
One of the main reasons Buffalo is considered a Super Bowl contender is the elite play of Josh Allen. The quarterback is having a career year, even receiving MVP consideration. FanDuel currently has Allen with the third-best odds of winning the award, just behind Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts.
So far this season, Allen has completed 64.7% for 2,930 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Notably, he is displaying his dual-threat abilities. He has 71 carries for a total of 483 yards and four scores on the ground. Allen has four performances with at least 50 rushing yards, including a season-best 86 yards and two picks in Week 9 versus the New York Jets.
Through the air, he has five games with at least 300 yards and two with 400. That is thanks to the help of Stefon Diggs. The two-time Pro Bowler is second in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,033 and third with eight touchdowns.
All things considered, Allen can have another great game on Thursday. It would not be a surprise if he and Diggs are in perfect sync, plus he has a solid day on the ground. The bold prediction is that Allen will finish the day with more than 400 all-purpose yards, perhaps even 400 coming solely from his passing accuracy.
1. Buffalo blows Detroit out
At the end of the day, even with both organizations' recent games, Buffalo is a legitimate Super Bowl threat. On the other hand, Detroit was always considered a bottom-10 team.
According to FanDuel, this should remain as usual. The Bills are the favorites to win the matchup, and the spread is -9.5. This means that not only will Buffalo come out with a victory, but it is predicted to have a convincing result.
In 2022, the Bills have three 20-point wins, one of them coming against the reigning Super Bowl champions Los Angeles Rams on the road in the season opener and the other versus playoff contender Tennessee Titans. They also have a big 38-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Detroit has three double-digit losses in 2022. That includes a 29-0 shutout versus the New England Patriots with third-string quarterback Bailey Zappe starting for them. The Lions also have three games where they failed to score 10 points.
Because of that, the bold prediction is that the Bills will have a blowout victory on Thanksgiving. Should Allen play like an MVP, Diggs continues his strong showing and the defense step up, this should be the case in Detroit. Expect at the very least a double-digit advantage, but a 20-plus lead is still a high possibility, showing that the recent losses have not affected the Buffalo squad.
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