We're on to Buffalo

[upstater1]

I was at the game in which the Bills gave up 25 straight running plays for big gains and big chunks of yardage. 25 straight. Never saw that in the NFL. Maybe only rarely in college.

The Bills do not have a tougher D than the Dolphins. They just don't. Phins are more inept on offense than defense.

 

[Mack Herron]

With Ebner injured and seemingly headed for IR, there could be some roster juggling this week. With T. Flowers leaving the game with a rib injury, they are thin on the edge as well as STs. I look for Grissom to replace Ebner on the roster this week, and a new signing to the PS to address depth at DE/LB or possibly OT (depending on Canon's status). With Brown back, RJF had his snaps decline so his position is not assured. The return of VV/MM still lingers well.

 

[FortressX]

Doesn't appear there will be any "weather" for the game.

 

[FourierSeries]

This should be another tough tight battle that comes down right down to the last play of the game.

 

[patchick]

I think Buffalo's record is a fair portrayal of their team. They're inconsistent and incomplete, but competitive. A home game, a motivated team very much still in the playoff hunt, a mobile QB, an injury-depleted Patriots team...put it all together and this looks like the toughest of the division matchups this season.

Here's an odd pair of stats to contemplate:

Buffalo's defense ranks next to last in the league in sacks, but is tied for #1 in combined interceptions and forced fumbles.

 

[Ring 6]

The only ways this is a close game is if the patriots commit a slew of turnovers of the bills get garbage time points to make it seem closer than it is.
I can’t envision them holding us under 30 (no clue why people are saying hey gave a good defense, they don’t) and I can’t envision them topping 14-17.
At least a 2 TD win unless we give away the ball or garbage time changes the final spread.

 

[IllegalContact]

beating the Chiefs was no great feat......week 1 was the apex of the Chiefs season and it has steadily slid since then

you're not going to succeed if your expectation is to get a consistent dose of crazy assed plays out of tyreek hill......hunt hit a rookie wall.......and kelce? well he's just too concerned about being a ****

as for the Bills, if you play dumb, they will make you pay........they're tough at home.....however, there's no reason the Pats offense can't get to 35-40 against their D

 

[Ring 6]

Here's an odd pair of stats to contemplate:

Buffalo's defense ranks next to last in the league in sacks, but is tied for #1 in combined interceptions and forced fumbles.

Am I missing something? Pro football reference had them 5th in takeaways not tied for first.

 

[patchick]

Am I missing something? Pro football reference had them 5th in takeaways not tied for first.

Different stat...forced fumble doesn't always mean a takeaway, but it's still meaningful IMO.

 

[Ring 6]

Different stat...forced fumble doesn't always mean a takeaway, but it's still meaningful IMO.

Oh

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Everybody seems to be focusing on the Steelers', but the last year that the Pats ran the table in the AFCE was 2012.
They lost two (meaningful) games in 2013.
In 2014 and 2015, they lost twice, but the second loss each season was a meaningless game in Week 17.
One of their two losses last year was to Buffalo in Week 4.

So, obviously they still win SB's when they lose Division games, but, personally, I think that the four remaining Division games this year, viewed together, pose as much, or even more, of a risk of another L as the Pittsburgh game.

Division games are unpredictable and always difficult, especially when the other team has something to play for, as the Bills do. I'll be very happy if the Pats end up 13--3.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Bill didn't look too happy after the game. I expect us to play much better against the bills.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Everybody seems to be focusing on the Steelers', but the last year that the Pats ran the table in the AFCE was 2012.
They lost two (meaningful) games in 2013.
In 2014 and 2015, they lost twice, but the second loss each season was a meaningless game in Week 17.
One of their two losses last year was to Buffalo in Week 4.

So, obviously they still win SB's when they lose Division games, but, personally, I think that the four remaining Division games this year, viewed together, pose as much, or even more, of a risk of another L as the Pittsburgh game.

Division games are unpredictable and always difficult, especially when the other team has something to play for, as the Bills do. I'll be very happy if the Pats end up 13--3.

I still wouldn't wanna run the table. I don't like winning streaks going into the playoffs. It does help that teams like the chiefs and jaguars are losing.

 

[Ring 6]

Everybody seems to be focusing on the Steelers', but the last year that the Pats ran the table in the AFCE was 2012.
They lost two (meaningful) games in 2013.
In 2014 and 2015, they lost twice, but the second loss each season was a meaningless game in Week 17.
One of their two losses last year was to Buffalo in Week 4.

So, obviously they still win SB's when they lose Division games, but, personally, I think that the four remaining Division games this year, viewed together, pose as much, or even more, of a risk of another L as the Pittsburgh game.

Division games are unpredictable and always difficult, especially when the other team has something to play for, as the Bills do. I'll be very happy if the Pats end up 13--3.

I disagree. They will roll through these 4 games. All 3 teams are just not good enough to compete with the patriots. Week 4 last year was without brady btw and we would have swept the division if he didn’t have that game stolen from him.
2015 was a decimated team with a c playing lt and an 82 year old rb that kicked off in ot and wouldn’t throw a pass. This team is not that team.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I still wouldn't wanna run the table. I don't like winning streaks going into the playoffs. It does help that teams like the chiefs and jaguars are losing.

They won 7 in a row last year going into the post season and look how that worked out.

They also had a win streak in 01 and 03 and that worked out well.

 

[Kargetina]

''A desperate team fighting for...'' is probably the biggest fallacy in professional sports.

Are we really going to continue listening to it week after week? Oh the Falcons are desperate to avenge the Super Bowl loss and stop their losing streak, the Denver game is dangerous because they're desperate, the Oakland game is dangerous because they're even more desperate than the Falcons and the Broncos were...and now for the final trick, the most desperate of all, your Buffalo Bills!

''Desperation'' is not going to create a better game plan, make a QB more accurate and make better decisions, make a running back faster or more agile than he is. This is real life, not a Rocky film. Once the game starts, it's all about execution, and the better coached team with the better players will usually execute better. And the Bills are not a very good team.

These were Buffalo's last three games before the Chiefs:

Loss to Chargers:47-17
Loss to Saints:54-24
Loss to Jets 34-21

They didn't magically become a good team over a week, they played and beat a team in complete disarray, a team that lost to the 1-8 Giants the previous week...scoring 9 points.

We've beaten the last 5 teams by an average of 18,7 points per game and i don't see any reason why this game would be anything different.

 

[Soliel]

I’d love it if they just won them all. It’s not realistic to expect it with the kind of schedule but not going to be shocked if they do run the table. If they wind up 13-3, how could I complain about that when folks were saying the season was over at 2-2?

I’ll still complain probably though... even if they win them all, I’ll find a way to gripe about Gilmore or Allen. Lol

 

[JMC00]

One of their two losses last year was to Buffalo in Week 4.

Don't use that game... Brady was out, Belichick and McDaniels were game planning for Garoppolo to play that game and reportedly day of the game he told him he didn't feel like he could play. So Brissett with a throwing hand injury that required immediate surgery played.

 

[Sicilian]

I too expect us to win this game, but there are a few factors at play here that could contribute to a shocker (probably in conjunction with a fluky turnover or two, but still):

1) It's still a divisional game on the road, which can be wonky.

2) We suffered four injuries in the Miami game that could contribute to a gameplan to contain a mobile QB: Van Noy, Flowers x 2, and Reilly. Not all starters, but all getting some snaps on defense. Depending on their respective statuses, it could change a few dynamics on defense in this game.

Again, not things I'm overly concerned about, just trying to predict the narrative that would take place if we find ourselves trying to make sense of a loss.

 

[TBR]

Hopefully we don't get Eagle/Fouts doing yet another game for the Pats.