Can the Bills Challenge the Patriots?

Tied up after five games, are the Bills good enough to give the Patriots a run for the division?

Kyle:  Here is one from the old scary scenario department: at 4:15 Sunday the Patriots could be 0-2 in the AFC East. I’m too lazy to research when the last time this was the case, but I’m betting the President’s first name was Bill. The Bills, as I said last week, are talented at skill positions and their defense is outstanding. The could spend a great deal of time in Brady’s face this Sunday. And please, do not mock Brandon Spikes and the revenge factor as some in the media surely will. The man is an impact run defender and tone setter. He may decapitate a Pats receiver crossing the middle early in the game, just to send a message. This game will cost me some length on my fingernails.

Raj:  While the Bills are a surprise, I still think they’ll be the Bills. That is, they’ll start off real nice and then finally implode as the season goes on. I don’t mean to be harsh but I honestly feel that since they aren’t used to success, whenever they do win a lot of games within the first 5-6 weeks of the season, it gets to their heads. That usually backfires at some point and that’s why they’re usually not in the playoffs. However, this team is talented and is on the rise. They aren’t experienced enough though and that’s why I feel they will still be no different down the road this season. That being said, I don’t think they’ll have enough to give the Patriots a run for the AFC East crown. But that’s later on though. Right now since both teams are tied for first in the division at 3-2, this game is very important for both teams. For the Patriots, it’s important to get the W since that will improve their chances at winning the division by a lot (as any win over a division opponent means more [at times] than other games).

Rick:  Considering the state of the other two teams in the division, the Jets in particular, you have to look at the Bills as the team that could challenge the Patriots in the AFC East. For one, they have new ownership, which gives the franchise as a whole another lift. The benching of E.J. Manuel for a veteran in Kyle Orton also helps the Bills because Orton can be a game manager and utilize the running backs in the passing game, such as Fred Jackson. But, the Bills’ defense can get after the quarterback and should be a test for the Patriots’ offensive line. If Buffalo can find a way to beat the Patriots on Sunday, it could go a long way to challenging New England for the rest of the season in the division.

Derek: Looking back on the past five weeks, the Patriots are 3-2. They won the three games they clearly deserved to win.  They lost two games they clearly deserved to lose.   The Bills managed to get by the Bears in overtime and needed some horrific kicking from the Lions to get to their 3-2 record.  They could easily be dwelling in the cellar with the Jets at 1-4 if some breaks didn’t go their way.  It’s one thing to pull off close victories by the skin of your teeth over a five-game sample.  Doing it over sixteen games is quite another.   Time will tell which of these two teams is the fitting champion of the AFC East.  If the Patriots take care of business in Orchard Park, that time will be approximately 4pm today.