Getty Bills quarterback Josh Allen at SoFi Stadium on December 23, 2023.
The Buffalo Bills (9-6) are riding high after nabbing their third-straight victory with a 24-22 win over the Chargers. However, if Buffalo wants to clinch the AFC East, they must defeat the New England Patriots in Week 17.
Even though the Patriots (4-11) were already eliminated from playoff contention, Bills quarterback Josh Allen is not sleeping on their division rival. The Patriots showed they’re still looking to fight, upsetting the Denver Broncos 26-23 last week.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Allen said Buffalo has changed since they last faced Bill Belichick‘s squad.
“We’ve grown as a group collectively,” Allen said. “I don’t want to take credit away from them. Their defense is playing at a very high level. They’ve got guys that are smart. They can play multiple positions. They’re rushing the passer very well right now. It’s a Bill Belichick-coached team. So we’ve got to take that into account.”
Also, still lingering in Allen’s mind, Buffalo’s 25-29 loss to New England back in October. The MVP-candidate sent a strong message to his team ahead oftheir Patriots rematch.
“The fact that we lost game one, I think, shows we’ve got to put our best stuff on the field or we’re not going to win this game. Frankly, it’s a game that we need to win. They know that. We know that. If I’m in the New England Patriot locker room, I’m looking to ruin (Buffalo’s season). An opponent’s hopes are on the line, a division rival. They’re going to be ready to go. I can guarantee that.
“So that, in turn, makes us ready to go as well. With the guys we have in this locker room, there’s very little doubt we will be ready to go.”
Josh Allen Pointed Out Difference in the Patriots Since They Last Played
GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen waves to fans at Highmark Stadium on December 17, 2023.
While the Patriots will be led by quarterback Bailey Zappe in Week 17, not Mac Jones, Allen’s job is to focus on New England’s defense.
“They’re playing a little bit more man since we played them last,” Allen observed. “And they’re trusting their players to go make plays. Again, when you have players that are that smart, that can basically play any position, they’ve got five or six guys in the DB position that I can’t really classify him as a corner, a star, a safety. They move around so well, they play different spots, and, again, they’re playing together as a group right now. So, it’s a dang good unit.”
The respect goes both ways. Patriots defensive end Lawrence Guy knows they have their work cut out to stop the 6-foot-5, 237-pound quarterback. “He’s just not going down easily. He can make plays happen,” Guy told reporters on December 28.
“Any given second that man can make a play, down the field, cutting back. Even when you think he’s down, he still is able to break tackles and scramble. If you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s been 3 seconds that I held him they should blow the whistle.’ Until you hear it, you have to continue to go.”
Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick with some strong praise for Bills QB Josh Allen
Even Belichick offered high praise to Allen, comparing him to Tom Brady ahead of their Week 17 showdown. “Once Brady got to a certain point there in ’03, that’s pretty much the way he was the rest of his career,” Belichick said.
“From then on… his level of play and consistency was at the very top of the league. Different style of play, but once those quarterbacks usually get to that point they’re usually able to sustain it… Doesn’t matter where he was, but where he is right now is really good.
The Bills are Considered Huge Favorites to Defeat the Patriots
While the Bills currently sit in the 6th seed in the AFC, the margin for error remains microscopic. Buffalo only narrowly defeated the Chargers last week, a team led by backup quarterback and an interim head coach.
The Bills are considered 13-point favorites to defeat the Patriots on Sunday, however, such lopsided odds have been deceiving this season. Buffalo has been deemed double-digit favorites to win in seven games this season and failed to cover the spread in every single one.
At this point, however, it behooves the Patriots to lose. A victory will put a huge dent in the Patriots’ status heading into the 2023 NFL draft, and the franchise desperately needs a new quarterback. However, if Belichick and Patriots are indeed parting ways after this season, what pick New England ends up with doesn’t matter to the 71-year-old head coach.
The Patriots have won two of their last three matchups, doubling their win total on the season. If Belichick is bitter about his rumored forthcoming exit, he may look to get one last win over the Bills.