Underdogs?

The oddsmakers will probably have the New England Patriots as their favorites to maybe even win the Super Bowl, but the Buffalo Bills are their favorite for today’s game at Gillette Stadium vs. the Patriots.

Yikes.

It’s a complicated process of how the wagering is coming in, but the we’ll tell you in any normal thinking the Patriots are the favorites in a lot of minds.But all this does is fuel a very close-knit Patriots team that is on an epic roll, weak schedule aside.

You know Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is using it, and that fuel will make their fire quickly melt whatever snow may fall this morning in in Foxborough.

“Again, it gets brought to attention,” Vrabel said this past week. “Every week you see in this league that records don’t mean anything, the point spreads and survivor pools get blown up every week and all that other stuff. So we’re just trying to focus on our preparation here and getting back into it.”

Oh, they’ll get back into it all right. In a big way. We’ve said it here and we’ll say it again. The Patriots are the best team in the AFC.

And now, here are your picks:

PATRIOTS 27, BILLS 23

The points could be even more. It all depends on whether the Patriots can contain two Bills: Allen and James Cook. If Cook runs wild without Milton Williams around to be the wall on the Patriots defensive line, it takes the pressure off of Allen. But it’s all about scoring points, the the Patriots offense is way better than the Buffalo defense.

STEELERS 24, DOLPHINS 21

The ride ends for Miami, but not without a fight. Nothing comes easy for the Steelers these days, but they get this one they’ll go two up on the Ravens because…

BENGALS 27, RAVENS 17

This should be a playoff game when you think of the preseason prognostications. But who knew? A down-in-the-dumps Burrow comes alive while the Ravens continue to spiral.

CHARGERS 17, CHIEFS 13

We’ll do an extra AFC game because the all-NFC choices aren’t the greatest. Neither are the Chiefs or the Chargers, for that matter, but L.A.seems in a better place than Mahomes & Co. Barely.

RAMS 40, LIONS 27

This L.A.team, like a certain team in this area, has the Super Bowl in its sights. They’re the best team in the NFC, though we’ll find out for sure this week and next Thursday when they play Seattle. The Lions just aren’t the same after last year’s early ouster and loss of both coordinators.

PACKERS 23, BRONCOS 20

Yes, it’s at Denver, but Green Bay can pull off the upset behind Jordan Love and put the Patriots up on Denver in the race to get that top seed. Love vs. Bo Nix? The former gets the nod.

SEAHAWKS 30, COLTS 17

We’d love to say in the support of fellow seniors that Philip Rivers can pull it off if he plays. But Seattle is fantastic defensively, having given up just 17.4 points a game to now. Sorry Indy, you’re fading fast.

LAST WEEK: 5-2

SEASON: 65-33

Tom King may be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com. Also, follow King on X (@Telegraph_TomK).