Our Patriots vs Bills preview covers the latest odds, point spread, moneyline, total, kickoff time, TV channel and where to watch for the NFL Week 4 matchup between the New England Patriots (1-2) and the Buffalo Bills (3-0) on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY. Kickoff is 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT), and the game airs on CBS.
Week 4 storyline: The first AFC East meeting of the season brings the defending AFC champion Patriots, who are 1-2, to Buffalo’s new Highmark Stadium to face the unbeaten Bills. Josh Allen practiced this week after a knee contusion and carries no injury designation, while New England will be without CB Christian Gonzalez and DT Christian Barmore. Drake Maye has one touchdown pass and six interceptions, and the Patriots are last in the NFL in scoring at 9.7 points per game (ESPN).
As of Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, 7:01 AM PT (10:01 AM ET), DraftKings via ESPN lists the Bills as 7-point favorites over the Patriots, with the moneyline at Patriots +245 / Bills -305 and the over/under at 49.5. Since the open, the spread has moved from BUF -3 to BUF -7 and the total is unchanged at 49.5. Below are the full Patriots vs Bills odds, both team previews, the official Week 4 injury report and TV details.
Patriots vs Bills Odds & Preview Info
| Matchup detail | Line / info |
|---|---|
| Matchup | New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills |
| Records | Patriots 1-2 (0-2 road) · Bills 3-0 (2-0 home) |
| Spread | Patriots +7 (-115) · Bills -7 (-105) |
| Moneyline | Patriots +245 · Bills -305 |
| Total | 49.5 (Over -112 / Under -108) |
| Venue | Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY |
| Date/Time | Sunday, October 4, 2026 · 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT) |
| TV | CBS |
| Head Coaches | Patriots: Mike Vrabel · Bills: Joe Brady |
| Quarterbacks | Patriots: Drake Maye · Bills: Josh Allen (no injury designation) |
Odds: DraftKings via ESPN as of Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, 7:01 AM PT (10:01 AM ET). Opening line: BUF -3, total 49.5, moneyline Patriots +136 / Bills -162. Line movement: the spread has moved from BUF -3 to BUF -7, and the total is unchanged at 49.5; the moneyline has gone from Patriots +136 / Bills -162 at the open to Patriots +245 / Bills -305. The DraftKings line has moved from BUF -7 (total 48.5) since this preview first ran on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Lines can move before kickoff.
New England Patriots Preview
Season so far: New England lost 13-10 at Seattle in a Super Bowl rematch after Maye threw three fourth-quarter interceptions. The Patriots beat Pittsburgh 20-3 on Elijah Ponder’s fumble-return touchdown and TreVeyon Henderson’s 39-yard run, then lost 35-6 at Jacksonville in Week 3, when Maye was pulled in the fourth quarter (AP). New England has scored 36 points, tied for the fewest in the NFL, and allowed 51.
Quarterback and key players: Maye is 51 of 80 for 585 yards with one touchdown and six interceptions (ESPN). AP counts 15 turnovers (10 interceptions, five fumbles) for Maye going back to the start of last season’s playoffs. Vrabel kept him as the starter, and Maye said Wednesday his right shoulder is fine; he was a full participant Friday with no designation (ESPN). Rhamondre Stevenson has 116 rushing yards and Mack Hollins has 156 receiving yards. Ponder has 1.5 sacks and Robert Spillane has 21 tackles.
This week: Vrabel said slot CB Marcus Jones could move outside, with Charles Woods also in line to play next to Carlton Davis III, to cover for Gonzalez (ESPN). G Greg Van Roten (thigh) went on injured reserve Tuesday.
Buffalo Bills Preview
Season so far: Buffalo won 36-31 at Houston when Allen hit Joshua Palmer for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:36 left. The Bills opened their new stadium with a 41-31 win over Detroit in which Allen accounted for five touchdowns, then beat the Chargers 24-16 in Week 3 despite five turnovers (AP). It is Buffalo’s third straight 3-0 start. The Bills lead the NFL with 101 points scored and have allowed 78.
Quarterback and key players: Allen is 56 of 86 for 786 yards with five passing touchdowns and two interceptions, and he has six rushing touchdowns (ESPN, AP). He was spotted practicing Wednesday (WGR 550) and is not on the final injury report with a game status. Allen has never lost more than two straight starts and is 30-8 after a loss (AP). James Cook III has 346 rushing yards, Dalton Kincaid has 263 receiving yards, and Greg Rousseau leads the NFL with six sacks.
This week: ESPN noted that Rousseau’s sack total and Allen’s rushing touchdowns are both on record paces. Brady praised Allen’s “competitive stamina” after a Week 3 win in which Allen committed three of Buffalo’s five turnovers (AP).
Patriots vs Bills Key Injuries
Source: the official final Week 4 injury reports released Friday, Oct. 2, as posted on NFL.com, with injured reserve moves from ESPN’s injury tracker and context from team sites and ESPN. Practice notes refer to Friday’s session. Players not listed below carry no game designation.
New England Patriots — Out: DT Christian Barmore (shoulder); CB Christian Gonzalez (shoulder); S Brenden Schooler (back) · Doubtful: none · Questionable: CB Channing Canada (hamstring, limited Friday); LB Christian Elliss (chest, limited Friday); FB Reggie Gilliam (knee, limited Friday); LB Dre’Mont Jones (shoulder, limited Friday); OT Morgan Moses (foot, limited Friday); TE Eli Raridon (thigh, limited Friday); S Craig Woodson (shoulder, limited Friday) · Injured reserve (ESPN): G Greg Van Roten (thigh); WR A.J. Brown (ankle); LB Quintayvious Hutchins (knee); S Dell Pettus (ankle).
Buffalo Bills — Out: none · Doubtful: DE T.J. Sanders (illness, limited Friday) · Questionable: CB Christian Benford (toe, did not practice Friday); RB Ray Davis (hamstring, limited Friday) · Injured reserve (ESPN): CB Jordan Hancock (hamstring).
Context: Several Patriots who were listed as out earlier in the week (S Craig Woodson, TE Eli Raridon, LB Dre’Mont Jones) were limited Friday and are now questionable. For Buffalo, CB Christian Benford (toe) did not practice Friday and is questionable.
Patriots vs Bills Key Matchup Notes
- Rousseau vs Maye: The league’s sack leader faces a quarterback with six interceptions in three games.
- Buffalo’s receivers vs a thinner secondary: Gonzalez is out, and Woodson and Channing Canada are questionable.
- Ball security: Buffalo won in Week 3 despite five giveaways, and New England’s defense produced Ponder’s touchdown in the win over Pittsburgh.
- Interior without Barmore: Barmore has played 52% of New England’s defensive snaps (ESPN), and his absence affects the Patriots’ run defense against Cook.
- Market snapshot: DraftKings opened BUF -3 with a 49.5 total and now shows BUF -7 and 49.5 (DraftKings via ESPN, as of 7:01 AM PT Saturday).
Kickoff, Venue & How to Watch New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills
- Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026
- Kickoff: 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT)
- Venue: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
- TV / Streaming: CBS (regional broadcast; check local listings). Streaming: Paramount+ carries the local CBS feed, NFL+ streams local games on phones and tablets, and out-of-market viewers can use NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube / YouTube TV
Where to watch: the New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills game airs on CBS at 1:00 PM ET. Final inactives are released about 90 minutes before kickoff.
This preview is for informational purposes only. It reports odds, injury designations and broadcast details from DraftKings via ESPN, NFL.com, team sites, ESPN and AP, and it does not offer betting advice. Odds, injury statuses and inactives can change before kickoff, so confirm with official sources. If you gamble, do so legally and responsibly; help is available at 1-800-GAMBLER. Information current as of Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, 7:01 AM PT (10:01 AM ET) for the Patriots vs Bills game on October 4, 2026.