The Bills' defense probably is better than the numbers suggest; just check the track record and talent. The Cardinals' defense probably isn't as good as the numbers suggested; just check the opposing quarterbacks Arizona has faced. With John Brown healthy again, the Bills are the last team that a defense short on cornerbacks wants to face.
Buffalo Bills 34, Arizona Cardinals 31
MDS's take: One of the best games of the day is in Arizona, where two exciting offenses square off. I like Kyler Murray to make a few more plays with his legs than Josh Allen does, and that will be the difference.
MDS's pick: Cardinals 31, Bills 30.
Florio's take: This game deserves a national platform, and these two teams could eventually meet in a Super Bowl.
Florio's pick: Cardinals 27, Bills 24.
Josh Allen vs. Kyler Murray will be fun to watch. Both offenses can score and both defenses have issues. Look for a lot of points in this one, with Allen winning a high-scoring game for Buffalo, even with the long trip.
Pick: Bills 34, Cardinals 33
It's a little unusual to rave about the defensive performance of a team that gave up 34 points, but the Bills (7-2) were up on Seattle by 27-10 in the third quarter last week before largely easing off on defense and cruising to a 44-34 victory. Regardless of the points allowed, Buffalo sacked Russell Wilson five times, hit him another 11 times, pulled down two interceptions and recovered two fumbles. Not bad, considering it was facing an M.V.P. candidate who leads the highest scoring offense in the N.F.L.
This week has nearly as difficult a challenge. The Cardinals (5-3) can do considerable damage, thanks to the running and passing of quarterback Kyler Murray, and would get an enormous boost if running back Kenyan Drake could return from an ankle injury.
With Buffalo's Josh Allen coming off perhaps the best game of his career, it was no surprise for oddsmakers to predict this would be the highest scoring game of the week. But if Buffalo's defense can perform near the standard it established last week, the Bills can walk away with a road win to be proud of.
Pick: Bills +1
The Bills upset the Seahawks in Week 9 and continue that momentum on the road against the Cardinals. The matchup between Josh Allen and Kyler Murray should be fun. It's a game where one turnover could be the difference, and Buffalo has the better turnover margin. Buffalo pulls out the victory in a thriller.
Pick: Bills 28, Cardinals 25
