Patriots Shock Bills in Buffalo, Cover as 7-Point Dogs with Outright Win

The Patriots didn't just cover the seven points—they walked into Highmark Stadium and stole a 29-26 victory outright, handing Buffalo their first loss of the season. So much for New England's offensive "struggles." They put up 29 points against a Bills defense that had no answers when it mattered most, turning this divisional scrap into exactly the kind of tight, gritty affair we expected.

DarkHorse AI's pick of Patriots +7 was never in doubt. The reasoning was simple: divisional games play tighter, New England's defense travels well enough to keep things close, and seven points is a gift when blood rivals meet. What we got was even better—a Patriots squad that remembered how to score just in time to embarrass a 3-0 Bills team at home.

Buffalo's inflated spread came back to bite anyone who laid the points. New England's defense held up its end of the bargain, keeping the Bills to 26, and the offense finally woke up after averaging 12 points through three weeks. Whether it was a backdoor cover or an outright heist, the result is the same: the pick cashed, Buffalo's perfect start is toast, and the Patriots reminded everyone that rivalry games don't care about your regular-season résumé.