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Fearless Freddie’s Football Forecast

CLAPTRAP. The Buffalo Bills are the highest scoring (172 points) AND best defensive team (64) in the NFL through five games.

But briefly remember last October when the Bills traveled to Tennessee and got whipped 42-16. They trek to battle the Titans again this Monday night in another national exposure test. Some might call this a classic “trap” game, one in which a higher ranked team inexplicably loses to a perceived weaker one. This happens either following a huge victory or a week before a major rivalry game.

Buffalo’s demolition of Kansas City qualifies them for “trap” talk this week, but don’t listen to it. It’s not going to happen. The Bills are still improving, the Titans are eminently beatable and the thought of this team ruining their upcoming bye week is frankly inconceivable.

FREDDIE sees it this way:

Bills 38, TITANS 21

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

COLLEGES

Saturday

CINCINNATI +17 over UCF (+20.5)

Michigan St. +7 over INDIANA (+3.5)

Florida +13 over LSU (+9.5)

GEORGIA +20 over Kentucky (+23.5)

IOWA +7 over Purdue (+11.5)

Alabama +24 over MISS. ST. (+17.5)

OKLAHOMA +13 over TCU (+11.5)

BAYLOR +6 over BYU (+4.5)

ARKANSAS +7 over Auburn (+3.5)

TEXAS A&M +9 over Missouri (+8.5)

WEEK: 9-1 (.900). Vs. line 6-4 (.600).

YEAR: 41-9 (.820). Vs. line 20-30 (.400).

PROS

Thursday

Tampa Bay +9 over PHILADELPHIA (+7)

Sunday

Dallas +7 over NEW ENGLAND (+4)

Green Bay +3 over CHICAGO (+4.5)

Kan. City +8 over WASHINGTON (+6.5)

DENVER +6 over Las Vegas (+3)

CLEVELAND +3 over Arizona (+2.5)

BALTIMORE +6 over LA Chargers (+3.5)

LA Rams +8 over NY GIANTS (+10.5)

INDIANAPOLIS +7 over Houston (+10)

Cincinnati +6 over DETROIT (+3.5)

Miami +3 over JACKSONVILLE (+3.5)

CAROLINA +3 over Minnesota (+1.5)

PITTSBURGH +7 over Seattle (+4.5)

Monday

Buffalo +17 over TENNESSEE (+4.5)

WEEK: 14-2 (.875). Vs. line 11-5 (.688).

YEAR: 53-27 (.663). Vs. line 39-41 (.488).

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