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Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

Week 16: New England Patriots (12-2) at Buffalo Bills (4-10)
1:00 ET at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park NY

Post your thoughts on the game, keys to the game, pre-game analysis, and any other comments worth mentioning about Sunday's game that don't warrant their own separate thread here.

With the Bills not being a team that draws much national interest, looks like it will be off to the local sports bar for out of town fans that do not have a subscription to the Sunday Ticket:

2010 week 16 - Everything you need to know about sports on television - the506.com

Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots are the announcers; not too often that they call a Pats game.

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

Well looking ahead looks like cold temps (18-21F) not excessive, chance of snow showers, thew question is how will the wind be. The Bills have been improving and have been in a lot of games (shoulda beat the Steelers a few weeks ago). They will play hard as they usually do. I am looking for the D to raise their game this week. Hope to see some guys on the D line get healthy.

The team should be motivated with BB beating on them for the flat performance last week. That and the chance to wrap up the division, and the first seed in the AFC shoud provide plenty of motivation.

The first T-shirt and hat game of the season (hopefully the first of 3). IF we come out flat doesn't bode well for the playoffs.

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

I have not seen the Bills play since our game with them. All I know is that have been 4-2 over the past 6 games. This will be their statement game of the year if they can win.

A very dangerous team at this point.

Depth Chart

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

To expand they are 4-5 in their last 9 after a tough start BUT 3 of those losses are OT losses to Pitt, Balt and KC and a 3 pt loss to CHI. Pretty impressive.

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

this is not a given... the bills will come to play, with christmas week its a short week.. we have 14 games in a row, sooner or later the streak is goin to end, just hope it could wait another year.. would like to clinch this thing this weekend

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

Fitz's season more than just production | BuffaloBills.com | Chris Brown

Quote:

Time and again the offensive players on Buffalo’s roster have talked about how Ryan Fitzpatrick has been a difference maker on the field. On pace to have the second-highest single-season passing touchdown total in team history, the production has been obvious. What has been less noticeable from the outside is the leadership Fitzpatrick has brought to a position that hasn’t had it in abundance for the Bills in recent years.

“It would take a long time to discuss what he’s brought to our football team,” said head coach Chan Gailey. “Trying to put it in a nutshell it would be that everybody sees his toughness. Everybody knows how smart he is. He does a great job of getting us into the right plays and making adjustments, during the week and in the game to allow us to be successful. Not being afraid to do anything on the football field. He’ll throw it to anybody that’s open. He’ll give anybody a chance. He’s not locked in to one thing. That gets everybody excited about playing.”

Stevie Johnson has talked more than once how everyone is “live” when Fitzpatrick is the quarterback. Everyone has a chance to make a play when he’s dropping back to pass.

“It goes further than just throw and catch,” Johnson said. “He has the confidence in us and I don’t want to let him down and I’m pretty sure nobody else wants to let him down either because he’s giving us opportunities. That’s all you can ask for as a receiver, a quarterback that’s giving everybody opportunities and not just dumping it to one player.”

Fans have seen Fitzpatrick’s toughness. He’s taken big shots in the pocket in order to make a play in the passing game. He’s thrown blocks for teammates downfield, and he’s lowered his head for the extra yard on scrambles.

What fans don’t see is the one-on-one time he spends with young teammates in the film room, or the direction expression of confidence in each and every player on his side of the ball. In the huddle or in the meeting rooms Fitzpatrick isn’t some field general barking out orders. He’s a collected competitor that’s confident he has the answers. That approach has in turn given confidence to the players around him.

Bills Prepare to Measure Themselves Against Pats | New York Times | AP

Quote:

The Bills are on a bit of a roll. No longer the league's laughingstock, they've proven to be the best of the NFL's worst by beating the Lions, Bengals, Browns and Dolphins.

Their win against Miami was complete. It came on the road and was their first of the season against an opponent that came into the game with a winning record.

Fitzpatrick led a patchwork offense by going 16 of 26 for 223 yards and two touchdowns.

And the Bills inconsistent defense proved stout, limiting the Dolphins to 65 yards rushing. That's the fewest Buffalo's allowed in a season in which they've given up 200 yards rushing six times.

For coach Chan Gailey, the victory was another step in the right direction and another sign of his team's resilience in what's been a rebuilding season as Buffalo will miss the playoffs for an 11th straight year.

"I've probably overused the word character, but I don't know if you can because that's what it's all about with this group," Gailey said. "I think we have got the wins to show for the improvement, rather than just seeing improvement in our eyes as coaches."

Fitzpatrick continues to get the most out of a no-name group of receivers that's now down to 2008 seventh-round draft pick Stevie Johnson and three undrafted rookies, who are getting additional playing time following season-ending injuries to Roscoe Parrish (broken wrist) and Lee Evans (sprained ankle).

Johnson continued his breakout season on Sunday by scoring his 10th touchdown — one short of matching a Bills single-season record — while rookie David Nelson scored his third of the year.

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

Emory Hunt, the self-proclaimed 'Czar of the Playbook', previews the matchup.

YouTube - Football Gameplan's 2010 NFL Week 16 Preview (New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills)

On offense Hunt suggests the Pats try to get Danny Woodhead open in space to create a mismatch against Buffalo's linebackers, perhaps lining him up in the slot a few times. On defense he suggests the Pats defensive backs get a bump on the Bills receivers, play close to the line of scrimmage, which will force Fitzpatrick to wait longer for the route to develop - which will help the pass rush.

For Buffalo he suggests the Bills try to run a lot of off tackle runs and screen passes on offense; on defense the Bills have to bring pressure and find a way to force Brady out of the pocket.

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

With any luck, Brace and/or Pryor will be back in action this Sunday. They will be needed if the focal point of the Patriots defensive game-plan will be to shut down Fred Jackson and the Bills running game. Also, the team as a whole must do a much better job of tackling than they did last Sunday against the Packers.

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

I think this is a measuring stick game for the defense. The Bills torched us in the first meeting and their offense has gotten much better as Fitzpatrick has gained experience. Our defense has also gotten better. If the defense could make the adjustments and shut down the Bills offense this time around, it could be a good sign for the playoffs.

Re: Week 16 Pats at Bills pre-game analysis and opinions

The top lineman on the Bills, Hangartner, isn't playing, and Lee Evns just went on IR. Evans has had a bad year so not sure how big a loss it is.

I'd be more worried about the Bills defense than the Bills offense in this game. Their OL is hurting badly.