While there has been some separation in the NFC, it remains a mystery which teams in the AFC are ready to contend for a playoff spot, and which teams are destined to miss out on the big dance. The Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals have all looked like contenders at one point or another, but as we reach week 12 of the NFL regular season, they still haven’t managed to distinguish themselves from the rest of the sports betting pack.Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets (-8)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
While the Jets’ struggles are undoubtedly the bigger surprise of the two AFC East rivals set to clash this Sunday, that doesn’t mean that Buffalo’s collapse isn’t significant. A Bills’ team that opened the year with five wins through their first seven games has now lost three straight, including two against division rivals, and a second loss to New York will all but eliminate them from postseason contention. Unlike at the beginning of the season when Buffalo was forcing turnovers and capitalizing with an efficient offense, Ryan Fitzpatrick and company are now the ones turning the ball over while the defense has had trouble stopping anyone with 79 points allowed in their past two games alone. Meanwhile, the Jets’ supposedly elite defense has struggled to remain a top-10 unit, and their inability to prevent Denver Broncos’ quarterback Tim Tebow to score a late touchdown in a 17-13 loss last Thursday was the exclamation mark on a tough year. The fact that quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets’ offense wasn’t able to put that game away earlier is another story altogether, and while New York should be able to get the job done this Sunday at home, it is hard to ignore such a big sportsbook reviews spread for a team that has been so inconsistent this year.
NFL Betting Picks : Buffalo Bills + 8
Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals (-7.5)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
Making the postseason in the NFL often comes down to being able to win the games that you are expected to, and that is something that the Bengals have been able to do all year. While consecutive losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are proof that Cincinnati is not ready to compete with the best in the AFC, they have put themselves in position to have a chance by winning games they are favored in, including a 27-17 win against the Cleveland Browns in their season opener. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has progressed well as the unquestioned leader on offense, but it is the Bengals’ defense that has allowed them to remain competitive in every game. Cincinnati currently leads the AFC Wild Card race but cannot afford a third straight loss against a division rival, but that shouldn’t be an issued against a Cleveland team that has lost three of their last four and haven’t recorded a pay head victory against a team with a winning record so far this season.
NFL Betting Pick: Cincinnati Bengals – 7.5
