New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills preview
The Buffalo Bills will try to avoid losing their 14th straight game to the Patriots when the two teams meet at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. The 13 straight wins the Patriots have piled up against the Bills
is an NFL record.
It's a record the Bills will be hard pressed to break. The Patriots come into the game off of a loss to the upstart Jets which clearly stung. They'll be looking to take out their frustrations on a Bills team
that finds itself in familiar struggles this season.
Pre-season starting quarterback Trent Edwards has been benched for the second year in a row and will be replaced in Sunday's game by Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Edwards had struggled to move the offence in the first two weeks of the season and has passed for just 241 yards combined.
Fitzpatrick is seen as a more decisive quarterback by the Bills staff. His willingness to go for large chunks of yards convinced coach Chan Gailey that Fitzpatrick could give the Bills the spark they need.
That spark on offence was expected to come from rookie running back C.J. Spiller, who had a very good pre-season. Spiller has been surprisingly ineffective in two games, however, running for just nine yards
on eight carries.
A crowded and confused Bills backfield could be one reason for the team's struggles. Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch and Spiller have all been splitting carries, with no clear number one stepping forward. Lynch
did lead the team in carries in week two, but it has been rumoured that it was only to put him in the shop window as trade bait.
The sooner the Bills sort out their backfield the better. With a shaky quarterback situation, they need a consistent run game to have any success.
The Patriots looked great in week one, beating up on the Cincinnati Bengals. That win faded into the rearview quickly as the Patriots were outplayed by the Jets in a week two loss that had Tom Brady visibly
upset after the game.
Brady did throw for 248 yards and a touchdown in the loss, but also threw two interceptions.
The Bills defence isn't bad at all, ranking around the middle of the pack in the NFL so far, but they're not close to as good as the Jets' unit. Brady will be looking to get off and has found a new target
to throw to.
Rookie tight-end Aaron Hernandez has got off to a fast start in his NFL career, providing the Pats with the pass catching tight-end they've lacked in recent years. Hernandez caught six passes for 101 yards
in the loss to the Jets.
As good as the Patriots passing game has looked, its the only part of their game that has been playing at a high standard. The running game has looked average and must now deal with injuries Kevin Faulk and
Fred Taylor.
Meanwhile, a young defence has been giving up points at an alarming clip. The defence is ranked 26th in the league, having given up 26 points-per-game so far. That their two games came against the Bengals
and the Jets, hardly offensive powerhouses, must come as a concern to the Patriots.
Despite the Patriots' weaknesses on defence, the Bills may not have the personnel to take advantage. Buffalo will certainly be motivated to win a game over a divisional rival and end a long losing streak
to the Pats.
The Bills did play the Pats close in the opener of last season, giving up an 11-point lead in the closing minutes to lose, but that was Brady's first game back after losing a whole season. The Patriots will
be too much for the Bills once again, pushing their streak to 14.
Prediction: Patriots 27 Bills 10
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