Last season recap
The Buffalo Bills started the last NFL betting season with new owners (Buffalo Sabres owners Kim and Terrence Pegula bought the team following the death of previous owner Ralph Wilson), new head coach (Rex Ryan following the resignation of Doug Marrone), and new quarterback (Tyrod Taylor following the retirement of Kyle Orton). Some things don’t change, though. Case in point, the Bills finished the regular season 8-8 record, and thus failed to qualify for the postseason for the 16th consecutive season. This is the longest active playoff drought in major professional sports since the Toronto Blue Jays broke their own 22-year dry spell in September.
What’s New
The 2016 NFL betting season will be the 47th on the National Football League for the Bills, the fourth with general manager Doug Whaley, and the second with Coach Ryan – who got his twin brother Rob a job with the coaching staff. Buffalo lost free agents LB Nigel Bradham, CB Ron Brooks, DT Stefan Charles, and WR Chris Hogan, and cut DE Mario Williams, RB Boobie Dixon, OG Kraig Urbik, TE MarQueis Gray, CB Leodis McKelvin, CB Cam Thomas, LB Tony Steward, DE Jarius Wynn, C Ronald Patrick, and CB Merrill Noel. On the other hand, the Bills signed RB James Wilder, Jr. from Cincinnati Bengals, CB Javier Arenas from the New York Jets, TE Jim Dray from Cleveland Browns, SS Robert Blanton from the Minnesota Vikings, LB Zach Brown from the Tennessee Titans, CB Corey White from the Arizona Cardinals, CB Sterling Moore from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, OG Fernando Velasco from the Carolina Panthers, LB Lorenzo Alexander from the Oakland Raiders, and SS Colt Anderson from the Indianapolis Colts. Additionally, Buffalo selected rookies DE Shaq Lawson, LB Reggie Ragland, DT Adolphus Washington, QB Cardale Jones, RB Jonathan Williams, WR Kolby Listenbee, and CB Kevon Seymour in the 2016 NFL Draft, as well as undrafted free agents FB Glenn Gronkowski of the Gronkowski Clan, CB Julian Whigham, LB Eric Striker, OT Keith Lumpkin, DS Reid Ferguson, DT Justin Zimmer, WR Garry Chambers, OG Jamison Lalk, C Robert Kuglar, QB Joe Licata, WR Davonte Allen, DE Bryson Albright, K Marshall Morgan, and OG Marquis Lucas. Finally, Buffalo promoted Kathryn Smith to special teams quality control coach, making her the first female full time coach in the history of the league. Fans who bet on NFL probably didn’t see that one coming.
What to Expect
Perhaps NFL betting fans of the Bills expect Glenn Gronkowski to do some of that voodoo that his brother does so well with the New England Patriots, but Rob must be adopted because his talent doesn’t seem to run in the family. Notwithstanding that, coach Ryan is known to perform well under pressure. NFL writer Conor Orr counts “10 winnable games on Buffalo’s schedule this season,” and expects “the Bills to take sole position of second place in the AFC East with a nine-win season.” QB Taylor will be the player on whom to keep an eye.
Odds to win Super Bowl LI: +5350
