New York Giants vs Buffalo Bills Prediction, Betting Lines & Probable Starters

By Chris Amberley in NFL Football
Published:

- The Buffalo Bills are 3-point favorites over the New York Giants in NFL preseason action on Saturday
- First Round QB Jaxson Dart will see significant snaps for New York, while Buffalo will sit Josh Allen
- See below for my Giants vs Bills prediction, plus betting lines and probable starters
While the NFL world waits for top pick Cam Ward’s preseason debut Saturday night, Jaxson Dart, the second QB taken in the draft, will see his first action earlier in the day. Dart and the New York Giants travel to Buffalo to face the Bills at 1:00 pm ET, but online sportsbooks don’t like their chances in Saturday’s NFL odds.
I tend to agree, and am looking to back Buffalo in my Giants vs Bills prediction. Keep reading to find out why, plus see which key names will be suiting up for their respective teams.
Giants vs Bills Probable Starters
New York is being coy on how much playing time Dart will receive, but the expectation is that it will be significant. The Giants are resting all starters for this contest, which means back up QB Jameis Winston is likely to get the starting nod. After him, Dart is next man up, and the G-Men are reportedly eager to get him live reps against enemy defenders.
Dart has performed well so far in camp, but a test versus a Sean McDermott defense is a different story. Buffalo plans on playing its healthy defensive starters, including newcomer Joey Bosa and top pass rusher Gregory Rousseau, but those players will likely be done for the day by the time Dart takes the field.
Nevertheless, McDermott is one of the best defensive minds in football, and has a history of confusing rookie quarterbacks. His defense will be well prepared, regardless of which level of the depth chart is playing. He’s also very familiar with what a Brian Daboll offense, after coaching alongside him previously.
Notable Giants vs Bills Playing Today
As for the other side of the ball, Buffalo will rest NFL MVP odds contender Josh Allen. Mitch Trubisky will draw the start, and will have all of the Bills healthy starters at his disposal for a couple series.
That list won’t include top running back James Cook, and number one receiver Khalil Shakir. Cook is in the midst of a contract dispute, while Shakir is dealing with a high-ankle sprain.
Trubisky might not have to worry about New York’s starting defenders, but he should see plenty of rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter. The third overall pick is slated to play, and has made a strong impression in camp so far.
Giants vs Bills Prediction
- Buffalo Bills -3 (-115)
Buffalo has a significant advantage in on field talent for this matchup, as well as coaching. They’re a top Super Bowl odds contender, while the Giants have one of the fourth longest championship prices on the market. New York is relying exclusively on rookies and second/third stringers, and I expect growing pains for Dart in his first NFL action against a sharp defensive mind.
Trubisky has been in this position plenty of times in his career, and his dual threat abilities should propel the Bills to early success. After he exits, I could see points being tough to come by for both teams, as the Bills don’t have a ton of explosive backups.
The trends support siding with Buffalo, as McDermott routinely gets the best of his roster in the preseason. He’s 15-9 all-time against the spread in exhibition football, while Dabol led teams are a dismal 1-8 ATS.
New York Giants vs Buffalo Bills Betting Lines
I’m taking Buffalo -3 as my Giants vs Bills prediction, with Buffalo also listed as a -155 moneyline favorite. New York comes back as a +130 ‘dog, with an over/under of 36.5.
The NFL preseason Week 1 odds opened with New York listed as a 1.5-point favorite, but bettors have piled on Buffalo since news broke they’d play their healthy starters and the Giants wouldn’t.

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Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.