SO CLOSE. The Buffalo Bills fell victim to themselves in the NFL Wild Card matchup Saturday in Houston, losing 22-19 in overtime after leading 16-0.

Everything went Buffalo’s way in a remarkable first half punctuated by Josh Allen’s TD catch and rumbling 40-yard dash on the seldom seen quarterback sweep.

Momentum turned as things often do in the NFL and the Texans rose to the occasion to delight their hometown fans and send Buffalo to its seventh loss of the season. Only one of those losses was by more than seven points, that to a desperate Philadelphia Eagles team. Add four preseason wins and the Bills Mafia celebrated 14 times in what proved to be a very satisfying season.

With the 22nd pick in the 2020 NFL draft, oodles of salary cap cash to spend in free agency and a corps of young team leaders, it would not be a stretch to predict this team can host and win a playoff game come next January.

HOME teams are capitalized. Teams picked to win the game are listed first, followed by the expected margin of victory. The official Las Vegas odds are in parentheses.

PROS

Saturday

SAN FRAN +9 over Minnesota (+6.5)

BALTIMORE +10 over Tennessee (+9)

Sunday

KANSAS CITY +6 over Houston (+9.5)

GREEN BAY +3 over Seattle (+4)

WEEK: 2-2 (.500). Vs line 2-2 (.500)

YEAR: 159-99-1 (.614). Vs line 137-122 (.529)

COLLEGES

Monday

National Championship

Clemson +3 over LSU (-5.5)

YEAR: 217-55 (.798). Vs line 137-135 (.504)