Joe@Buffalowins (5-4)- If you go down the Internet wormhole for Stats for Bills/Pats, it gets really ugly. We went over the plays that defined it last week, but that doesn’t even tell the whole story. In their last 29 games against NE (2001), the Bills have committed 71 turnovers while NE has just 31. 11 of those games the Bills had 3+ turnovers. Brady has gone 300+ yards in 7 of his last 15 starts against the Bills. Brady has 3+TDs in 9 of those starts. Not counting last year’s bullshit finale, since 2003 the Pats have beaten the Bills by more points in their 2nd meeting every year except for 2012. There’s more, but I’ll save those for next year. Even with Edelman out, they still have a capable backup in Amendola who actually had over 100 yards against the Bills in 2013. You wanna just rush the football to keep Brady off the field? Go for it, but keep in mind that since 2001, the Bills have had 140+ yards rushing in 5 meetings against them and they ended up going 0-5. Want to get pressure on Brady? Well, the Bills have the an all-world DL and they have never been able to get to him. Its kind of hopeless to be honest. I’m just hoping for not another bloodbath, but that’s what I think will happen. Bills lose, 42-21.
Michael Necci (@manecci) (? – ?) – The Bills have looked really good the last two games. Winning 2 games in 5 days vs The AFC East has re-established themselves in the playoff hunt. A win Monday Night would be the franchises biggest win since….I don’t even know. If they lose this game to New England it wouldn’t hurt their playoff chances, but it would just mean that they can’t lose another game this season vs an AFC team. History tells me I should pick New England big, but I think Buffalo keeps it close through 3 quarters and New England pulls away in the 4th. Patriots 37 Buffalo 28. Big weekend coming up in striped football also: Michigan St vs Ohio State, USC vs Oregon, and TCU vs Oklahoma at 8:00pm. As a Notre Dame fan I’m gonna need USC, and TCU to do some work.
Mike Migliore (@mmigliore) Record: 4-5- The Bills have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune over and over again during their last 15 visits to Foxborough, Massachusetts (I’m not really considering last year’s win; no one – the Bills nor the Patriots, cared). We’ve seen misfortune of all kind – starting quarterbacks getting injured, double-digit fourth quarter leads slipping away, untimely turnovers, Stevie Johnson taking a penalty for a celebration, you name it. Gillette Stadium is the home of the franchise’s personal American Horror Story and the ghosts aren’t going away any time soon.
Here we have yet another season where the Patriots are one of the league’s elites and the Bills are simply just trying to get by. The Patriots have cruised to a 9-0 record, while the Bills are trying to keep their heads above the playoff water at 5-4. This means that the song likely remains the same Monday night at Bob Kraft’s VIP Playhouse. The Pats are down Dion Lewis and Julian Edleman, and possibly Jamie Collins, but they have Brady and Belichick and the usual visiting team at Gillette Stadium shenanigans on their side. The only question is what type of horror will the Bills have to endure this time. Expect the Bills to find a way to keep this game close, but lose in excruciating fashion at the end. Add it to the list of misfortunes at New England since 2000. Prediction: Patriots 31, Bills 27
Mike McKenzie (-7.5). Someone please explain to me how a team down it’s best WR, RB, and starting LT is favored over anyone. This shows you how much Vegas and the NFL respects Brady. If you’ve been reading the site this week, you know the Pats and Brady have absolutely owned Buffalo. Last time they met, Brady got rid of the ball so quickly, that we never consistently pressured him all game and he torched BUF for another 400 yard game. Rex has had some success against the Pats, and I do believe he has a good gameplan to attack NE. Of course, by saying he has had success, I mean he has beat them only a few times.I do believe Buffalo can score and move the ball on this team. McCoy and Williams looked great last Thursday, Sammy outplayed Revis by a good bit, and Tyrod can steal a first down every now and then with is legs. The problem is I have no confidence in our ability to stop Brady and I turst the hoodie to develop a great gameplan. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. That’s how I feel every time we play them. Health, and rest are 2 things working in the Bills favor, but I just don’t think it’s enough. I won’t believe we can beat NE until we do. The line has hovered between 7 and 7 and a half all week. If you can get it at 7.5, I like the Bills. NE 27 Bills 20.
Brett Ludwiczak – @BLeez17 – 5-4 My expectations are very low for this game. The Bills did what I thought they’d do out of the bye week, winning two against AFC East foes, so a win here would just be an added bonus. I’m sure somehow New England will find a way to destroy the Bills in primetime because it feels like that is something that is in The Constitution. New England 31 Buffalo 20
Sean – @SeanCorleone (6-3) A year ago we were reeling after losing 2 games in a 5 day span. Now its the complete opposite after back to back wins against the Dolphins and Jets. It feels good, but knowing who is next on the schedule certainty puts a damper on things a bit. A loss this Monday to the undefeated Patriots will not end the 2015 season for the Bills by any means, but the timing of this game couldn’t be any worse for Buffalo. The Bills need to start stacking wins, especially since there is a bit of a log jam in the AFC wild card race. The Bills currently hold one of those spots, but depending how things shake out this week, they could easily find themselves behind a few teams with the need for playing catch up. The Bills need this one badly. I want to believe. It’s just that I know better. Bradys at home. Its a game in the national spotlight. We know how this usually ends. There is a chance the Bills could pull this one out as the Patriots are a bit thin due to injuries, but when has that ever stopped them? In order to win, the Bills will need to be near perfect in all 3 phases, and they can’t beat themselves with costly mistakes or penalties. Its not that I believe winning this game is impossible. Its just that I don’t think its likely. I hope I’m wrong. Prediction: Patriots 28 – Bills 17
Chris @2ITB_Buffalo: It’s hard to feel good about a game against the Pats. Even without a pair of important offensive weapons we’re still talking about Tom Brady running the show. The Bills say they have a plan for Gronk and I’m sure they do. I’m also sure that he’s still going to put up numbers. For me, the key to this game is simply keeping the Pats offense to a dull roar, unlike what transpired in week two. If the Bills D can keep Brady & Co. relatively quiet, I think they’ll have a punchers chance at the win. I have a lot of faith in the offense right now. Even when they’ve sputtered in recent weeks, the big play threats are still ever present. Even though they appear to be getting healthier, I’m just not sure I can see the Bills D doing enough to keep the Pats from running away. I’ll take the Patriots in this one.
Scott Michalak (@ScottyMCSS) (7-2) I wish I could say the Bills have a real shot at this thing – and they should, given the talent at their disposal – but the Bills have shown nothing more consistently than inconsistency this season. A team like this tends to look promising for a couple quarters at Gillette Stadium, and then tends to get overwhelmed by Tom Brady (and by their own bumbling selves). It’s going to be a loss, and one that could begin the end of the 2015 Bullies Bills. All that being said, a win here could galvanize the team in such a way that could propel them very, very far. I’ll be rooting for the best, but well, we all know how this one is going down in Foxboro: it’s goin’ down hard. Bills lose, and hopefully avoid bodily and mental trauma. Pats 41, Bills 17.
Brad Gelber, @BradleyGelber (5-4): After the first game vs. New England this season I promised myself I would NEVER again be optimistic when facing a Brady lead Patriots team. I feel myself getting hopeful again, but I won’t allow it to influence my better judgement. The good news is even if the Bills lose, they are still OK in terms of a Wild Card spot. I’d be overjoyed if I was wrong, but I’m not betting against Tom Brady, at home, in prime-time. 30-17 Patriots
Rich (@RDotDeuce, 6-3): This game tonight is going to be billed as Rex trying to ruin the Pats’ undefeated streak, Taker style. But really it should be, can the offense continue to sustain drives and score points with the “Big Three” healthy. If they do, even in a loss, I think that bodes quite well for the 6 games after this one. Monday night games have not been kind to the Bills in the past – the Cowboys’ game in particular sticks in my craw as an attendee – and the Patriots have not lost a game to an AFC East team that they cared about (that game last year was a fraud folks) in almost 9 years. Sweet baby Jesus that’s nuts. So given that I’m calling this game Pats 34, Bills 20. Bring on the Chiefs.
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