5 early takeaways from the Buffalo Bills Week 17 showdown with the Patriots

Special teams continue to be an issue

The New England Patriots opened the game up with a 98-yard kickoff return, putting the Bills in an early 7 - 0 hole. This isn't the first time this season that the special teams have had breakdowns in coverage. We all remember the season opener against the New York Jets, with a 65-yard punt return in overtime.

At this point in the season, the Bills need to figure out a way to shore this up or it could be a major issue in the playoffs. All the teams are typically good and key special teams play could make the difference. Before this week's game, the Bills had 85 kickoffs and rank third in touchback percentage, with just 52.9 percent.