Buffalo will meet the team you love to hate in Week 16.
By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
Once again the Buffalo Bills will meet the team you love to hate, the New England Patriots, in Week 16.
But unlike many other late-season games against the Pats, this one has some meaning for both sides in regard to the AFC East crown. With a win, the Patriots take that title. If the Bills win, they still have a chance to win it.
While you know them, here’s the latest updates on them since the last time these two teams met earlier this year, seven things in total:
Home-winning streak snapped and boo’d
After the Bills beat the Steelers last week, their record went to 10-4 and the team clinched that playoff berth. Bills fans met the team at the airport to celebrate with the players. The Patriots just topped the Bengals in Cincy last week, but they had a letdown the week prior, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs at home.
That loss snapped a 21-game winning streak at Gillette Stadium for the Patriots… so we’re telling you, there is a chance for the Bills. But with Bills fans in mind, the Patriots are 11-3 after that win against the Bengals. With all their winning in mind, Patriots fans actually boo’d their dynasty off the field at halftime during that loss to the Chiefs which is… something else.
Patriots defender Kyle Van Noy was among Super Bowl winning players for the Patriots who were having none of it.
“I thought it was disrespectful,” he said of the booing. “But it is what it is.”
Spygate 2.0?
And of course, let’s get right down to what you were looking for. Here’s the latest updates on the potential “Spygate 2.0” situation brewing for the Pats.
For those living under a rock, a Patriots videographer was caught illegally filming the Bengals sideline in Cleveland one Sunday prior to the previously mentioned Patriots-Bengals meeting in Week 15 last week.
The Patriots admitted to wrongdoing in the situation, but last week a video was released by FOX Sports which doesn’t look good for New England as they tried to say the videotaping was for the team’s website.
The video shows exactly what the Patriots were doing as they were filming the Bengals sideline, which is not allowed. On top of that, audio shows the Bengals’ staffer member that approaching the Patriots’ videographer and that guy sounds very guilty. He pleads to let him delete the filming and Cincy’s guy was having none of it, so here we are.
Tom Brady done?
For the first time maybe ever, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady doesn’t look like his old self and he’s openly discussing how frustrating that is.
Last week the Patriots beat the Bengals 34-13, but Brady still wasn’t too happy. He was 15-of-29 passing with 128 yards and two touchdowns and the running game was much better. Brady had accuracy issues vs. the Bengals, missing an open touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu and another to running back Sony Michel.
“Yeah, but we won, so I’m happy we won,” Brady said during a postgame press conference. “I wish we’d always do better. There’s always things to improve on, even when you win.”
The Patriots aren’t bad at passing the ball, they do sit ninth-overall in that category, averaging 248.1 yards per game. But things just aren’t elite anymore from Brady and the defense leads the way for the Patriots. In three of Brady’s last four games, he hasn’t surpassed 200 yards passing in a game.
Stephon Gilmore still good (unfortunately)
Making headlines all season is the Patriots defense and playing well, still, is former Bill Stephon Gilmore. His replacement in Buffalo, Tre’Davious White is tied with him for the league-lead in interceptions this year with six and only two games to go. With an overall grade of 83.7, Pro Football Focus ranks Gilmore the fifth-best cornerback in the NFL currently and his coverage grade of 87.6 is fourth-best via PFF’s grading scale.
Against the Bills the first time around, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was picked off three times. Gilmore didn’t have an interception that game, but the Pats will like to replicate that effort.
Of course, it’s not just Gilmore. Second cornerback JC Jackson had two of the three interceptions Allen dished out in Week 4, and he’s developed into a solid player as well. He tops the NFL in passer rating allowed at only 28.6.
So in conclusion, this Patriots defense, the No. 1 ranked group in the NFL, is still good and Allen has to be careful.
Latest on the wide receivers
Brady has struggled, yes. A lot of it has to do with the lack of talent around him. By now, some expected tight end Rob Gronkowski to return to the Patriots. He’s still retired and can’t return this year.
Julian Edelman is the most prominent name for the Patriots out wide, but he’s banged up. Knee and shoulder issues are slowing him down and last week he only had two catches for nine yards against the Bengals.
Rookie N’Keal Harry has only played five games with Brady and the Patriots this year due to injury. He only as seven catches this year, but he did score last week.
The last time the Bills faced the Patriots, Josh Gordon was a factor. Like Antonio Brown, he’s gone from the Pats and now the league as he was suspended once again this week.
To sum things up: It’s not all on Brady and the Bills defense should have the edge this week. Problem is, the Patriots defense will also have an edge.
Kicker drama
So Nick Folk is the Patriots kicker currently. Things have gone round and round for the Patriots’ kicking situation this year once Stephon Gostkowski (hip) went on the injured reserve list.
The Patriots first went to Mike Nugent, who was cut. Then came Folk. He was cut after Week 13 due to an appendectomy. Then Kai Forbath was brought in for Week 14, but the Patriots decided Folk was the better option after he was healthy again, re-signing him. The Patriots briefly signed a trick-shot kicker in recent weeks too, Josh Gable, but then cut him from the practice squad.
Seemingly forever the Pats had the league’s best kickers going from Adam Vinatieri to Gostkowski, basically. Not the case this year, as the Patriots, like the Bills, put in a waiver claim for former Bills kicker Chase McLaughlin a few weeks back but the Colts got him.
Anyway, here’s that trick-shot dude:
Pound the rock?
While the Patriots defense, overall, is good, this might be a game for Devin Singletary to take the wheel. After notching two fumbles and losing one last week against the Steelers, the Bills should show faith in him because the numbers point to the Patriots being suspect against the run. While being the No. 1 overall defense (268.4 average) and No. 2 against the pass (170.3), against the run, the Patriots sit at seventh-best, allowing 98.1 yards per game.
Those numbers are still good, but that could be where the Bills should attack. Last week against the Bengals, Cincy rusher Joe Mixon had 136 rushing yards in the game and as a team, the Bengals had 164 yards in total. Quarterback Andy Dalton only had 151 passing yards with four interceptions. You do the math there.
White named to Pro Bowl
For the eighth consecutive year, the Buffalo Bills will send at least one representative to the Pro Bowl.
Cornerback Tre’Davious White was named to the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday evening. It’s the first time that White, who has established himself as one of the league’s premier defensive backs in his third season, will appear in the yearly event.
The 24-year-old has set career highs in interceptions (6), forced fumbles (2), and sacks (1.0), and he’s on pace to set career-high marks in tackles and pass deflections.