Bills Still 1.5-Point Favorites vs Giants After Sterling Shepard Announced Out

• New York Giants’ wide receiver Sterling Shepard (concussion) will miss Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills
• Books moved Buffalo to two-point favorites
• Odds offering the Bills at -1.5 points

It looks as though the Buffalo Bills are going to catch a big break when it comes to the receiving corps of the New York Giants.

The Giants confirmed Friday that wide receiver Sterling Shepard was out for the game due to a concussion. Darius Slayton is also out with a hamstring injury. Cody Latimer (hamstring) is listed as questionable.

Golden Tate still has three games to serve of his four-game NFL suspension for a positive drug test. Corey Coleman (torn ACL) is on injured reserve.

Looking upon this dire situation, books opted to adjust the line on the game. They moved the Bills from 1.5-point to two-point favorites. The Bills opened as 2.5-point favorites in the Bills vs Giants odds.

Buffalo Bills vs New York Giants Odds

*Odds taken 09/13/19

However, books still list the Bills as the -1.5 chalk.

A Giants Void

Shepard was evidently injured from a hit he absorbed during the third quarter of last Sunday’s 35-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He still managed to finish the game and led the Giants with six catches for 42 yards.

The loss of Shepard (66 receptions/4 touchdowns) and Coleman (5 receptions) and the likely absence of Latimer (11 receptions), not to mention the offseason trade of Odell Beckham Jr (77/6) to Cleveland removes 159 receptions and 10 touchdowns from the club’s 2018 receiving corps.

Bennie Fowler is the only Week 1 starter at wide receiver who’s 100-percent good to go against the Bills. Fowler caught five passes for 40 yards in the loss at Dallas.

#NYGiants injury report (9/12):

Did not practice: WR Cody Latimer (calf), WR Sterling Shepard (concussion), WR Darius Slayton (hamstring), TE Garrett Dickerson (quad)

Limited: DL Dexter Lawrence (shoulder)

Full participation: G Kevin Zeitler (shoulder), LB Markus Golden (hip) pic.twitter.com/2qWrje85Iy

— Dan Salomone (@NYGsalomone) September 12, 2019

Cody Core and Russell Shepard, neither of whom caught a pass in the season opener, will be expected to take on more prominent roles. TJ Jones, cut in preseason, was re-signed.

Jones led the Giants with 12 catches during preseason play. He caught 19 passes last season with the Detroit Lions.

Bills in New York State of Mind

Buffalo launched the 2019 campaign at the New York Jets, rallying from a 16-0 deficit for a 17-16 victory. The Bills haven’t opened a season 2-0 since 2014.

The Bills also have a chance to do something the Giants haven’t accomplished since 2016 – win in consecutive weeks at MetLife Stadium.

It worked last week. ?

We're staying in white on blue for Week 2. #BUFvsNYG pic.twitter.com/0aFIj8Yy6u

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 11, 2019

The Giants are 1-6-1 against the spread in their past eight home games and 0-7 ATS in their last seven Week 2 games.

Buffalo is 1-6-1 ATS in its last eight against the Giants and 1-4 straight up in the last five at the Giants.

Bills Defense Will Buffalo Giants

With the Giants minus so many top pass catchers, it will enable the stout Buffalo defense to devote even more time and energy to containing the double threat that is Giants’ running back Saquon Barkley.

Focused on the Giants. ✊#BUFvsNYG | #GoBills pic.twitter.com/NDZpTyd6F8

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 11, 2019

The Bills were the NFL’s #2 defense last season, and were #3 in Week 1, holding the Jets to 223 yards of offense.

Take the Bills and give the points.

Pick: Buffalo Bills -1.5 (-110)