Here is an abbreviated Bills preview. This is a must-win for the Patriots if they want their season to continue with a playoff game. Nobody knows how the Bills are going to come out and play after the near-death experience with Damar Hamlin. I expect that the Bills will be giving it their all with the #2 seed in play and two playoff home games, but for Damar Hamlin as well.
OFFENSE
3 WR 1 TE
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| QB | Josh Allen | Case Keenum | – | – |
| RB | Devin Singletary | James Cook | Nyheim Hines | Taiwan Jones |
| WR | Stefon Diggs | Khalil Shakir | – | – |
| WR | Gabe Davis | Jake Kumerow IR | – | – |
| WR | Isaiah McKenzie | Jamison Crowder IR | ||
| TE | Dawson Knox | Quintin Morris | Tommy Sweeney | – |
| FB | Reggie Gilliam | |||
| LT | Dion Dawkins | Tommy Doyle IR | – | |
| LG | Rodger Saffold | Ike Boettger | Bobby Hart | – |
| C | Mitch Morse | Ryan Bates | Greg Van Roten | – |
| RG | Ryan Bates | Greg Van Roten | Ike Boettger | Justin Murray |
| RT | Spencer Brown | David Quessenberry | ||
Josh Allen is the real deal. He can do it all. He can take your QB pressure and turn it into a big gain with his legs. He has a strong and accurate arm. The weather in Buffalo will not make a difference to him. They have great receivers in Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. Diggs has 130 yards receiving on 101 catches. The diminutive Isaiah McKenzie is a little water bug that can make you look silly with his multiple moves. The running backs are good. Devin Singletary is on pace to equal last season’s output despite missing one game. They traded longtime 3rd down back Zach Moss to Indianapolis for Nyheim Hines. I think Buffalo won out on that deal.
At TE they have the dependable Dawson Knox and former BC ace Tommy Sweeney. The Offensive line is very consistent with Dion Dawkins at LT, Roger Saffold at LG, Mitch Morse at C, Ryan Bates at RG, and Spencer Brown at RT.
DEFENSE
3-4 Base
| LDE | Greg Rousseau | Boogie Basham | – | – |
| LDT | Ed Oliver | Jordan Phillips | – | – |
| RDT | DaQuan Jones | Tim Settle | ||
| RDE | Shaq Lawson | AJ Epenesa O | Von Miller IR | |
| WLB | Terrel Bernard | Tyler Matakevich | Baylon Spector | – |
| MLB | Tremaine Edmunds | A.J. Klein | ||
| SLB | Matt Milano | Tyrel Dodson | – | |
| LCB | Tre’Davious White | Taron Johnson | Christian Benford | Siran Neal |
| SS | Jordan Poyer | Cam Lewis | Dean Marlowe | |
| FS | Jaquan Johnson | Jared Mayden | Damar Hamlin IR | Micah Hyde IR |
| RCB | Dane Jackson | Kaiir Elam |
Buffalo has a few injuries on Defense but they are still a formidable group. Epenesa, Hamlin, and Hyde are out and several other players are not 100%. I think their Injury Report is a joke and the league should look into this. How does somebody like Taron Johnson come back from a concussion so fast?
The Bills D line is a stone wall. Anchored by Ed Oliver and Jordan Phillips, add in DaQuan Jones and Shaq Lawson to finish out the line. Add Tim Settle’s contribution as a backup and they are a good and deep group. Matt Milano is having another great season. Tremaine Edmunds plays all over the field. Even with Micah Hyde and Jamar Hamlin out, Tre’Davious White and Jordan Poyer are excellent cover players and ball hawks. I love their two rookies Christian Beneford and Kaiir Elam. Jaquan Johnson will be asked to fill in for Hamlin (in for Hyde). He may be the weak link. Dane Jackson is filling in at RCB.
| Special Teams | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| PK | Tyler Bass | – | – | – |
| P | Sam Martin | – | – | – |
| H | Sam Martin | |||
| PR | Nyheim Hines | Khalil Shakir | Jamison Crowder IR | – |
| KR | Isaiah McKenzie | James Cook | ||
| LS | Reid Ferguson | – |
Tyler Bass is normally a consistent player, but he has had his misses this season too. He ranks 6th in the league with Nick Folk as 7th. Sam Martin is the Punter and Holder and ranks 13th. Nyhein Hines is 9th in Punt Returns. Patriots Marcus Jones is 1st in the AFC, 2nd overall. The Bills are not registering in KO returns. Marcus Jones is second. Due to the Patriots’ woeful Punting game, I would say that the Bills have a slight edge. But the Patriots have Marcus Jones and he is a threat any time he gets his hands on the ball. Bailey will not be back this season. Bill Belichick announced that Jake Bailey had reached the end of his activation period and will be put on season-ending IR. Marcus Jones came off the Injury Report and was a Full Participant in practice.
Injury Report
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
| Position | Injury | Wed | Thu | Fri | Game Status | |
| Marcus Jones | CB | Concussion | DNP | LP | FP | (-) |
| Jonnu Smith | TE | Concussion | DNP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Jonathan Jones | CB | Chest | LP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Jakobi Meyers | WR | Shoulder | LP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Jalen Mills | CB | Groin | LP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| DeVante Parker | WR | Concussion | LP | LP | FP | (-) |
| Davon Godchaux | NT | Illness | DNP | FP | (-) | |
| Myles Bryant | CB | Shoulder | LP | FP | (-) | |
| Brenden Schooler | DB | Hip | LP | LP | Questionable |
BUFFALO BILLS
|
Position | Injury | Wed | Thu | Fri | Game Status | |
|
QB | Ankle/Right Elbow | FP | LP | FP | (-) | |
| Tyrel Dodson | MLB | Knee | FP | LP | FP | (-) | |
| Taron Johnson | CB | Concussion | LP | LP | FP | (-) | |
| Dawson Knox | TE | Hip | FP | LP | FP | (-) | |
|
CB | Forearm | FP | FP | FP | (-) | |
| Matt Milano | OLB | Knee | FP | LP | FP | (-) | |
| Jordan Phillips | NT | Shoulder | FP | LP | FP | (-) | |
| Jordan Poyer | FS | Knee/Vet Rest | FP | DNP | FP | (-) | |
| Rodger Saffold | G | Vet Rest | DNP | FP | (-) | ||
| Stefon Diggs | WR | Vet Rest | DNP | (-) |
The Bills have suddenly become healthy? I think their Injury Report is not truthful. Let’s see on Sunday how many of these players are really healthy.
Glad to see Marcus Jones and Myles Bryant are returning. Would like to see Jonathan Jones on Sunday. I hope Parker doesn’t take playing time away from someone like Kendrick Bourne.
Bottom Line
I think the Bills rebound from their shock and despair over the Damar Hamlin near-death incident. They are the more talented team, especially on offense. I think the Bills’ defense will stop the Pats from running and forcing them to pass. Not sure the Patriots have the horses to beat the Bills’ secondary. I also believe the Bills’ pass rush will present problems for Mac Jones. The Patriots’ Defense will not be as bad as it was for the last two meetings last season, they are much improved. Can they keep the Pats in the game? Final Bills 30 Patriots 17
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
