LAS VEGAS — Not long ago, the Bills were posted as Super Bowl favorites at most sportsbooks, and quarterback Josh Allen was an MVP contender. Actually, all of that was true just a week ago. 

It now seems more like fantasy than reality. Buffalo (6-4) is barely hanging in the AFC playoff bracket this week and serves as a prime example for an unpredictable season. 

“The NFL is absolutely insane this year,” DraftKings sportsbook director John Avello said. “If you’re looking for a favorite, it’s hard to find one. I don’t know what to think of the Bills. The Bills are a good team, but if the playoffs started tomorrow, they would be eliminated quickly.” 

Allen threw two interceptions Sunday in the Bills’ embarrassing 41-15 loss to the Colts, who were 7-point road underdogs. Buffalo slipped a half-game behind New England atop the AFC East, with the Bills and Patriots set to face off twice in the next five weeks. 

The Buccaneers, who had dropped two in a row going into Monday night’s game against the Giants, entered the day as 11/2 Super Bowl favorites at BetMGM. Kansas City (6/1) is the second choice on the odds board. Buffalo has fallen from 11/2 last week to 8/1. 

“All of a sudden, the Chiefs are on a nice little streak and they appear to be back,” Avello said. “The Chiefs look like the team to beat again in the AFC.” 

The Bills get an opportunity to bounce back quickly when they play the Saints (5-5) in the last of three Thanksgiving Day games. Buffalo is a 4-point favorite at New Orleans, which is desperate to stop a three-game losing streak. 

Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was too much for the Bills to handle. Taylor rushed for 185 yards and four touchdowns in the blowout. The Saints hope to get star running back Alvin Kamara back from a knee injury, and their offense has sputtered with Trevor Siemian at quarterback. Siemian replaced Jameis Winston, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during a victory over Tampa Bay on Oct. 31. 

Las Vegas bookmakers are expecting the betting public to stick with Allen and the Bills, who have been popular all season. Faith in the fizzling Saints is hard to find. 

“I think you will see public play on the Bills and sharp play on the Saints,” said Jeff Benson, Circa sportsbook operations manager. “The AFC is really, really wide open when you look at the Bills’ loss to the Colts.” 

The NFL is serving a rare turkey for Thanksgiving — all six teams in action are coming off a loss. 

Detroit is 0-9-1 this season and its winless streak has reached 14 games. The Lions’ last win was a 34-30 decision at Chicago almost a year ago, when Matthew Stafford was their quarterback. 

Stafford is with the Rams after trading places with Jared Goff in the offseason, but it’s more of the same misery for the Lions. Goff is expected to return from injury to start Thursday. Tim Boyle passed for 77 yards with two interceptions in a 13-10 loss at Cleveland. 

The Lions are not hopeless, posting a 6-4 record against the spread, and running back D’Andre Swift (14 carries, 136 yards vs. the Browns) has energized the offense to some extent. 

The Bears (3-7) just blew a late lead in a 16-13 loss to the Ravens that puts coach Matt Nagy’s future in further doubt. Rookie quarterback Justin Fields left the game with a rib injury, and Andy Dalton passed for two touchdowns in a nearly heroic relief effort. Fields is questionable to play, so the “Red Rifle” could be pulling the trigger on Thanksgiving. 

“I think the bettors want to bet on the Lions to win a game, and this is probably a decent spot for them to get one,” Avello said. 

Dak Prescott’s run at MVP hit a roadblock Sunday in a 19-9 loss at Kansas City. Dallas went into the game averaging 31.9 points, but Prescott was under intense pressure all day, threw two interceptions and was without top receiver Amari Cooper, who tested positive for COVID-19 and is unvaccinated, meaning he’s out again Thursday. 

The Cowboys also lost No. 2 wideout CeeDee Lamb to a concussion before halftime. Dallas needs more production from its running attack, though Ezekiel Elliott has rarely made an impact this season. 

It would seem Las Vegas is catching Dallas at the right time, but everything is going wrong for the Raiders on and off the field. The Raiders were 5-2 and the No. 2 seed in the AFC in late October prior to quarterback Derek Carr’s slump and a three-game losing streak. 

“The Raiders are just in a tailspin,” Avello said. “Carr makes a lot of mistakes, and that team is falling apart.” 

While the Bears-Lions game will draw the least betting interest Thursday, the second game will be a wagering feast with most parlays and teasers linked to the Cowboys. 

“The Raiders-Cowboys game is a perfect fit for Thanksgiving Day,” Avello said. “It’s two public teams and it will be heavily bet, but this is a bad spot for the Raiders.”