The New England Patriots entered Sunday’s road divisional game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday and have struggled to score points this season with the 28th scoring offense in the NFL.
The Buffalo Bills have been rolling as of late with three straight wins.
After being 5-5 through the first 10 weeks of the season the Bills have rallied to win four of their last five games, including three straight going into Week 17 against the Patriots.
The Bills win streak has vaulted them into 6th place in the AFC and in position to clinch a playoff berth this weekend, although they would need a lot of help from across the league.
Buffalo absolutely can’t afford a loss to the sub-par New England Patriots if they want to make the playoffs this season.
Where the Buffalo Bills stand Ahead Of New England Patriots Game
- Record: 9-6 (6th in AFC)
- Chance of making playoffs: 91%
- Chance of winning AFC East: 25%
- Chance of getting No. 6 seed: 51%
- Chance at getting No. 2 seed: 25%
- Chance at getting No. 7 seed: 19%
From the Bills’ perspective, perfection is the order of the day if they want to win the division. If Buffalo goes 2-0 and Miami goes 0-2, the Bills will win the AFC East.
Buffalo defeated Miami 48-20 back in Week 3, giving them a critical head-to-head advantage over their rivals. Another win for the Bills in Week 18 would give them a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over the Dolphins in the first playoff tiebreaker.
The New England Patriots Stun Buffalo Bills With 98-Yard Kickoff Return For TD
The Bills have taken a 10-7 lead with roughly six minutes remaining in the first quarter, but the Patriots stunned the home team with an electric 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give New England an early lead.
JALEN REAGOR 98-YARD KICKOFF RETURN TD
📺: #NEvsBUF on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/sFjqko01pD pic.twitter.com/VT2hMYoqps— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
If the Patriots were to pull off the upset and spoil their rivals playoff chances, it would be a tough blow for Buffalo Bills to say the least.