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How big is the Week 16 rematch between the (9-5) New England Patriots and the (8-6) Buffalo Bills? It’s so big, Bills head coach Sean McDermott used the upcoming contest to fire his team up after their 31-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
“That’s one down right there, right?” McDermott asked. “One down. One down. We know who’s up next. We know who’s up next. It’s all about us, right? Stay humble.” you can hear it in the video posted below:
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The Bills didn’t take too kindly to their 14-10 loss to the Patriots in Week 13, and they want some get back when the two teams meet for a crucial rematch in Foxboro on December 26.
It is very possible, the AFC East crown could be on the line when the two teams clash, and if we are basing our expectations on the Patriots and Bills’ most recent performances, Buffalo should be feeling a little better about themselves.
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The Bills Are Looking for Revenge
After losing a tough one to the Patriots in Week 13 and a Week 14 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady in Week 14, Buffalo rebounded with a dominant performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 15.
The Bills’ defense dominated the second half allowing only two field goals to the Panthers as Buffalo limited former Patriots quarterback Cam Newton to an 18-of-38 completion day. Newton threw for 156 yards, 1 TD and an interception while also rushing for 71 yards and a score.
Unfortunately for Carolina, they couldn’t punch it in the end zone in the final 30 minutes of the game, and the Bills’ offense was solid enough behind Josh Allen.
Buffalo’s young quarterback completed 19 of 34 passes for 210 yards, 3 TDs and 1 interception, which was good enough for the 31-14 victory. With a win in place after back-to-back losses, Buffalo seems to be headed in the right direction again.
The Patriots Are Hoping to Rebound
New England played their worst game in more than 2 months on Saturday night against the Colts. The Patriots turned the ball over twice, committed eight penalties and could not come up with crucial stops against Indianapolis’ run game to secure a comeback win.
After battling back from 20-0 deficit to draw within three points, Dont’a Hightower missed a crucial tackle on Jonathan Taylor that led to a 67-yard TD run that sealed the win for the Colts.
New England gave up more than 200 yards on the ground for the second time in three games, and that’s something Buffalo is likely to look to exploit in the rematch.
Can New England fix their run defense, take better care of the football and limit penalties? They will have to if they hope to maintain control of the division.
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