Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots: Wild Card Weekend pregame notes
Keys to the game
This one is simple. Buffalo needs to get out to a lead in this game and force the Patriots to play catch up. When the Patriots have played from behind, Mac Jones hasn’t been able to get it done. He’s forced throws, been impatient in the pocket, and has cost his team a chance to overcome a deficit. If the Bills can start the game 14-0, its defense should be able to dominate a Pats offense that will depend on a rookie to bring them back in the ballgame.
Secondly, the Bills need to tackle well. The Patriots are going to run the ball and throw screen passes. Buffalo will have opportunities to make big plays behind the line of scrimmage, they can force the Patriots into longer down and distances, and if they force the Patriots to play behind the sticks, they’ll come out on top.
Lastly, the Bills need to be efficient on offense. Averaging almost 29 points per game is no small feat and is good enough for third-best in the league. In recent weeks, Allen has thrown questionable interceptions and has endured subpar passing performances. But when Allen struggles to throw the ball, he has the ability to hurt teams with his legs. And if both Allen’s arm and legs are an option for the Bills, it doesn’t matter who is defending them. Nevertheless, how the Bills decide to attack the Patriots, they’ll need to be efficient.
On Wild Card weekend, it’s win or go home. Both teams have had good seasons up to this point. And the game could obviously go either way. But the Bills have better weapons on offense. And its defense is the best in the league.
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New England has a good defense as well, but not nearly the weapons on offense, especially at the most important position. While the Patriots have Bill Belichick on the sideline, Sean McDermott is no slouch, and this type of matchup sets up for a physical battle on the gridiron in a do-or-die scenario.