Buffalo @ Green Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 14, 2014 ) Green Bay 13, Buffalo 21

The Buffalo Bills went from an afterthought to a contender in one game last week, led by a strong performance from their rookie quarterback. Josh Allen and the Bills will try to make it two big wins in a row at NFC North opponents when they visit the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Buffalo was outscored 78-23 in losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers to begin the season and went into Minnesota in Week 3 as 17-point underdogs before getting a mistake-free game from Allen in a 27-6 victory. "(Allen) was decisive early and that's important," Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters. "It looked like he played with a clear mind, which is also important for our young players." Allen will look to show the same kind of poise against the Packers, who are coming off their first loss and are not quite as steady at quarterback right now with Aaron Rodgers still recovering from a knee injury sustained in Week 1. "Anytime your quarterback doesn’t practice, it’s different," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy told reporters before Rodgers returned to the practice field on Thursday. "Aaron Rodgers brings a tremendous amount -- forget about the game plan or scheme you’re running that week -- but the competitive nature."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Packers -9.5. O/U: 45.

ABOUT THE BILLS (1-2): Buffalo's turnaround on defense began in the second half of a 31-20 Week 2 loss to Los Angeles, when it held the Chargers to three points, and continuing to build that momentum week-to-week is important to the defensive players. "Confidence," Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander told reporters after the win. "And we just want to continue to gain that. I think even (Week 2) in the loss, we gained some confidence. I think Josh (Allen) did in that last drive. Our defense did, holding that Chargers team to three points in the second half, and we were able to carry that. ... When we play like this defensively, we’re going to put ourselves in a great opportunity to win games." That Buffalo defense includes former Green Bay safety Micah Hide, who is making his return after not being offered a contract by the Packers following the 2016 season and instead signing a five-year deal with the Bills.

ABOUT THE PACKERS (1-1-1): Green Bay's first three games were all marred by roughing the passer penalties called on linebacker Clay Matthews, and he is not happy with the protection the quarterbacks are getting from referees this season. "Unfortunately, this league's going in a direction I think a lot of people don't like. I think they're getting soft," Matthews told reporters. "The only thing hard about this league is the fines they levy down on guys like me who play the game hard." Matthews was not fined by the league for any of the three hits and the NFL issued a clarification of the rule on Thursday, continuing to emphasis that players making no attempt to break their fall and landing with their full body weight on the quarterback will draw a flag.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Packers signed veteran free agent CB Bashaud Breeland and placed CB Davon House (shoulder) on injured reserve.

2. Buffalo RB LeSean McCoy (ribs), who sat out last week, told reporters he would play on Sunday.

3. Green Bay LB Nick Perry (concussion) did not participate in practice on Wednesday or Thursday and is doubtful.

PREDICTION: Packers 27, Bills 17