Odds Still Against 2-0 Bills & 49ers Making NFL Playoffs; Is There Value in Either?
- Each of the last five times the Buffalo Bills started 2-0, they’ve missed the playoffs.
- With a weak AFC and a weak division, the Bills should be able to get into the postseason.
- The San Francisco 49ers should contend for a wild card in a strong NFC
The Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers are two of nine teams that are a perfect 2-0 through two weeks of action.
However, the oddsmakers still don’t believe in these teams in terms of making the playoffs. Both are favored to miss the postseason; are either a good bet to make them?
Will Buffalo Bills Make The Playoffs in 2019?
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | +125 |
| No | -155 |
*Odds taken on 09/19/19.
Will The Bills Make The Playoffs?
The Bills have started 2-0 for the sixth time since the year 2000. The other five times, they’ve missed the playoffs.
If you’re a Bills fan, you can’t really ask for much more than what this team has delivered. Sure, they’ve beaten the two New York teams, who aren’t that strong, but both wins were on the road.
The Bills teams of old probably would have gone 1-1 or 0-2, but this unit looks different. Quarterback Josh Allen has completed 64.2% of his passes – much better than the 52.8% he did last year – and has made key throws when the team has needed him. More importantly, he has a much better supporting cast around him.
The offensive line was boosted in the offseason and in turn, we’re seeing a much more reliable running game. The Bills have 279 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 59 carries (4.7 yards per attempt) through two games.
Sean McDermott’s defense has been stout as well, with five sacks and 10 tackles for a loss so far.
Weak AFC Middle Class
By my estimation, given how top-heavy the AFC is, the Bills need about nine wins to make the playoffs. We know the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs are locks but the other spots – especially the Wild Cards – are up for grabs.
The Los Angeles Chargers are beat up on defense, everyone in the AFC South is flawed and the Pittsburgh Steelers are now without Ben Roethlisberger. I see at least five more easy wins for the Bills with this week at home to Cincinnati and two games against Miami. They should get to nine wins – possibly 10 – and make the playoffs.
Will San Francisco 49ers Make the Playoffs in 2019?
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | +130 |
| No | -160 |
*Odds taken on 09/19/19
Will The 49ers Make The Playoffs?
The 49ers were one of the teams that many experts like Phil Steele felt could and should turn it around, and so far, the early results have been great. They are 2-0 with decisive wins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Cincinnati Bengals.
In Week 1, the offense wasn’t crisp but the Bucs apparently have an improved defense, so maybe the 49ers offense’s shaky performance can be understood. In Week 2, everyone went off as the 49ers scored 43 points and totaled nearly 600 yards (571) of offense.
What’s great for the 49ers is they’ve already collected two road wins and the upcoming schedule is tough but manageable. They’re favored over the Roethlisberger-less Steelers this week and if they win, they’ll be favored at home to the Cleveland Browns in Week 5 when the 49ers return from their bye.
After that, they’ll play at Washington, at Los Angeles, versus Carolina and at Arizona, which is probably about a 2-2 split. From there, five of their final seven games are at home. If they beat Pittsburgh and Cleveland, as I expect them to do, this team will get to 10 wins this year.
NFC Competition
When you look at their competition, they’re fighting with teams like Seattle and Philadelphia for that second Wild Card spot, assuming the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams win their divisions. It’s possible a team like the Minnesota Vikings are in the mix too.
I actually do see this team in the playoffs as their defense looks legit. Per Pro Football Focus, Nick Bosa has led all qualifying edge rushers in pressures through two weeks, corner Ahkello Witherspoon has allowed just three catches on 12 targets this year and signing Kwon Alexander has graded out as the top defensive player so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS5QBtEciQ8
On offense, I have faith in Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan as they have quality receivers, tons of depth at running back and a decent offensive line. I’m willing to take a shot with plus-money on their NFL playoff odds as I see this team going to the postseason.
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
