Who will emerge victorious in this Bills vs. Patriots face-off? The Buffalo Bills (13-3, 10-6 ATS, 10-5-1 O/U) are set to meet the New England Patriots (3-13, 6-9-1 ATS, 10-6 O/U) in a critical divisional matchup on Sunday afternoon. The Bills secured a home win against the Jets last week, while the Patriots suffered a heavy defeat at home against the Chargers in their last outing. Buffalo previously edged out New England with a 24-21 victory at home last month.
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Buffalo Bills Claim the #2 Seed in the AFC
The Buffalo Bills have clinched the division title and the #2 seed in the AFC East. As this game holds no significant implications for the standings, they plan to rest several key players. Buffalo has had a commanding season, winning nine of their last ten matches, including a road victory over Detroit. Last week, the Bills triumphed with a dominating 40-14 win against the Jets, successfully covering the 10.5-point spread. In fact, they have covered the spread in three of their last five games.
Josh Allen is in the conversation for MVP. The 28-year-old quarterback may not boast eye-popping numbers, but his agility on the ground and clutch performances in crucial moments set him apart. Allen has accumulated 3,731 passing yards with an impressive 28:6 touchdown to interception ratio. However, he is expected to play only a few series, allowing Mitch Trubisky to take the reins for the majority of the game. Trubisky has recorded 78 passing yards this season.
James Cook is enjoying a productive year. The 25-year-old running back has surpassed 100 rushing yards in four games this season, recording 53 yards last week and totaling 981 yards overall. The Bills are likely to favor the run game over the pass. Meanwhile, 24-year-old wide receiver Khalil Shakir is having a breakout season, with 50 or more receiving yards in six games, contributing to his total of 821 receiving yards. Buffalo’s offense has been impressive, scoring 30 or more points in nine of their last ten contests while averaging 365 yards per game.
The Bills’ defense has shown resilience throughout the season. Although they faced challenges last month, conceding 42 points to Detroit, they were solid in holding the Jets to just 14 points on 281 total yards last week. Currently, their pass defense ranks 22nd, while their rush defense stands at 13th. Notably, they will rest some key defensive players, including Matt Milano, who is not expected to take the field.
Buffalo is averaging 31.8 points per game, ranking them second in the league, while their opponents average 21.6 points, placing them 11th in that category.
Patriots Face Unfortunate Ending to a Tough Season
The New England Patriots find themselves at the bottom of the NFL standings. A loss in this matchup would secure them the #1 pick in the upcoming draft, highlighting the challenges they have faced this season. The team has lost six consecutive games, with their last victory dating back to November 10th against the Bears. Recently, they were overwhelmed by the Chargers, suffering a 40-7 loss at home while entering the game as six-point underdogs. The Patriots have managed to cover the spread in only two of their last five games.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye is showing promise in his inaugural season. He has amassed over 220 passing yards in four of his last six games, totaling 2,276 passing yards with a 15:10 touchdown to interception ratio. Despite dealing with a hand injury, he continues to play. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson has only reached the 100-yard mark once this season, tallying 801 rushing yards overall.
The receiving corps requires significant improvement. Hunter Henry did not record a catch last week, bringing his season total to 674 receiving yards. Demario Douglas trails closely behind with 587 yards. The Patriots’ offense has struggled, scoring 21 or fewer points in four of their last five games and averaging only 290 yards per game.
Defensively, the Patriots have been similarly underwhelming. They have allowed 25 or more points in four of their last five games, including conceding 24 points to the Bills last month. The defense faltered last week, giving up 428 total yards. Their pass defense ranks 15th, while the rush defense is positioned at 25th. Safety Kyle Dugger remains questionable for this game.
New England is averaging only 16.6 points per game, which places them 30th in the league, while they allow an average of 25.1 points, ranking them 26th.
Best Bets for the Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots
