This Sunday, December 7, at Highmark Stadium in chilly Orchard Park, NY, the Buffalo Bills (8-4) host the Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) in a Week 14 NFL showdown with massive playoff stakes. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, flexed from a later slot amid Cincinnati's sudden spark. The Bills, clinging to AFC East control amid a wild-card scrum, must win to stay ahead of surging rivals like the Jets and Dolphins. For the Bengals, buried in the AFC North but two games back of Baltimore, this is elimination Sunday—Joe Burrow's return has ignited faint hopes of a late miracle run.
Buffalo enters as a 6-point favorite (moneyline -275; over/under 52.5), per BetMGM, with a 70% win probability from models like Dimers. Their offense hums, led by MVP frontrunner Josh Allen (30 total TDs, second in NFL). Allen's dual-threat prowess—19 passing, 11 rushing scores—pairs with the league's top ground game (155.7 yards/game). James Cook, fresh off back-to-back 100-yard outbursts, feasts against Cincy's porous run D (153.3 yards allowed, second-worst). Buffalo's defense, No. 1 in pass yards conceded (163.2/game), has rebounded lately, forcing turnovers and stifling Pittsburgh 26-7 last week. Linebacker Shaq Thompson anchors the front seven, eyeing Bengals RB Chase Brown and TEs (65 catches, 527 yards, 6 TDs).
Cincinnati counters with Burrow's precision (261 yards, 2 TDs in his Week 13 return from a foot injury) and Ja'Marr Chase's wizardry (chasing 1,000 yards for a fifth straight season). Chase torched Baltimore for 110 yards, but Buffalo's secondary—featuring Rasul Douglas—ranks eighth in yards per attempt allowed (6.5). The Bengals' D, 32nd in points (31.2/game) and total yards (410/game), leans on DE Joseph Ossai (5 sacks) amid Trey Hendrickson's absence. Tee Higgins remains in concussion protocol, thinning the arsenal.
Experts lean Bills in a shootout: USA TODAY predicts 28-24 Buffalo, NBC sees a 27-23 squeaker. Yet Burrow's perfect December road record (5-0) tempts upset whispers. Expect Allen to exploit gaps early, Cook to grind clock, and Burrow to rally late—but home-field and Buffalo's December dominance (23-4 since 2020) tilt the scales. Fireworks await in this AFC thriller.
Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ Track Name Holy (Trap).
Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ Track Name Exercise (Rock).
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