2001 · Week 1

Final

Saints

New Orleans

QB Aaron Brooks

24·6

Bills

Buffalo

QB Rob Johnson

Ralph Wilson Stadium · outdoors · astroturf · 87°F · wind 10mph

Closing spread

NO -1.5

Total

37.5

Model margin

+0.8est.

BUF perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Bills
  • Saints

How each play moved the game.

Bills winsSaints wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Saintsedge mapBills
  • -0.068EPA / play-0.062
  • 38.2%Success rate39.3%
  • +0.007EPA / dropback-0.032
  • -0.203EPA / rush-0.115
  • 8.8%Explosive rate7.5%
  • 38.8%Third-down rate34.4%
  • 52.3%Red-zone TD rate45.4%
  • 1.58Points / drive1.05
  • 3.1%Turnover rate3.0%
  • +0.009EPA / play allowed+0.039

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

NO lead 5–2 since 1999

BUF have won 2 straight. Meetings average 40.9 points. BUF are 1-6 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2025 · W4NO @ BUF1931BUF
2021 · W12BUF @ NO316BUF
2017 · W10NO @ BUF4710NO
2013 · W8BUF @ NO1735NO
2009 · W3NO @ BUF277NO
2005 · W4BUF @ NO719NO

Box score

Individual performances

Saints

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Aaron Brooks18/2920930
Joe Horn0/1000

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Ricky Williams18935.20
Aaron Brooks5102.00
Deuce McAllister122.00

Bills

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Rob Johnson16/2716003

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Travis Henry22582.60
Peerless Price13131.00
Rob Johnson3237.70
Sammy Morris122.00

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Jeremy McDaniel45360
Eric Moulds14340
Peerless Price12320
Jay Riemersma26160
Travis Henry1240
Sammy Morris3410

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line -1.54.3%2.9%7.3%7.4%3.0%4.5%2.8%

Positive margins favour Bills; negative favour Saints.

Half-point at risk

2.14%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

51.2%

Expected total

46.0est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+1.18
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment-2.95
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+0.79