6 rings: patriots vs. bills preview:
Sitting at 1-5 through six weeks, the Patriots have a lot of work to do to either a) make an unprecedented push toward the playoffs or b) reset this thing and begin scouting and preparing for the 2024 season.
Speaking of scouting, here are 10 players to watch this Sunday in Foxborough with the Buffalo Bills in town:
10 - LB Terrel Bernard, Bills
On a Buffalo defense filled with names, a seldom-known linebacker out of Baylor has been the unsung hero of the unit this season.
A third round pick in last year’s draft, Terrel Bernard has domited the second level for the Bills in, tallying 57 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two intercpetions, and two fumble recoveries.
To date, Bernard is the only player in the NFL this season with 50+ tackles, and two interceptions as well as the only player with 50+ tackles and two fumble recoveries. He earned Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 3 of 2023 for his performance against the Washington Commanders.
While, rightfully so, the Patriots’ focus will be on several other Bills defenders, Bernard could sneak up on them and will warrant attention this Sunday.
9 - WR Kendrick Bourne, Patriots and 8 - LB Josh Uche, Patriots
The reason I have these two paired together is because of the NFL’s trade deadline that is fast approaching and with the Patriots sitting at 1-5, it’s much more likely that they’ll be sellers than buyers.
"Definitely will be in my mind,” wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who is in the final season of his three-year, $15 million deal with New England, said on Wednesday about the upcoming deadline. “[I’ll] just be ready for whatever. I want to be here. I love to be here but if there are other plans, then it is what it is."
Bourne put up an 10 catch for 89 yard statline last Sunday against the Raiders and, as the Patriots’ best playmaker on offense, would likely get them some return at the deadline from a a team looking for a piece.
As for Uche, he and the team have reportedly “had no contract negotiations” as the pass rusher sits in the midst of a contract year. The third-round pick out of Micihgan in 2020 had a career season with the Patriots in 2022, tallying highs in sacks (11.5), tackles for loss (27), and forced fumbles (2).
At just about every corner of the content machine that is the NFL, Uche’s name has been floated as a trade piece for New England to sell. Given that it doesn’t sound like he’ll be here for the long term, maybe it’s time to sell off while you can.
Uche hasn’t practiced yet this week, so keeping eyes on him on Sunday may be tough, but if he is in fact out there, you have to wonder if it’s the last time you’ll see him in a Patriots uniform.
7 - RB James Cook, Bills
An underrated aspect to the Bills’ offense this season has been their run game. Buffalo is a top 12 rushing team this season and for the first time in a long time, their leading rusher isn’t Josh Allen. It’s running back James Cook.
The younger brother of Dalvin, James Cook was a second round pick out of Georgia in 2022 and after a wishy wash rookie season, has 363 yards rushing through six games on 4.8 yards per carry, and has also hauled in 14 receptions for 140 yards through the air. He’s shown a keen ability to make plays when given the chance.
Behind a quality offensive line and against a banged up Patriots defense, Cook could have a monster game on Sunday.
6 - OL Conor McDermott, Patriots
The Patriots have struggled at right tackle so far this season, with a mix of Vederian Lowe and Calvin Anderson at the position.
As a whole, their offensive line is 30th out of 32 in pass block win rate and Lowe himself is second to last in pressures allowed on Mac Jones (27) behind on Giants tackle Evan Neal.
Following Lowe’s performance against the Vegas Raiders on Sunday, the Patriots re-signed tackle Conor McDermott to the practice squad on Wednesday. McDermott started six games for the team last season and was re-signed this past March before being released with an injury settlement in September.
Now, he’s back and it wouldn’t shock me if New England elevated him to the active roster as soon as this weekend, and started him at right tackle. They need more juice and experience on that side of the line to keep their quarterback upright.
5 - DT Ed Oliver, Bills
During his Wednesday press conference with the media, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was surprisingly quiet about this Bills team. Normally, Belichick will expand on just about everything his opponent does well and how excellent the franchise is from the top down. This week was different - except when it came to Ed Oliver.
“He’s as good as anybody we’ll play,” New England’s head coach said of the defensive tackle.
Oliver, a first round pick of the Bills in 2019, has been dominant over his first four years in Buffalo, culminating into the four-year, $68 million contract extension he signed this past offseason. The former Houston Cougar has started 59 of a possible 68 games to start his career, tallying 175 total tackles and 18.5 sacks. Oliver has been a massive part of the Bills’ front this year, who combined has a league leading 24 sacks on opposing quarterbacks.
Mac Jones will need to be aware of him at all times.
4 - QB Mac Jones, Patriots
Speaking of Mac Jones, the Patriots quarterback once again has his work cut out for him this weekend.
Outside of Oliver, the Bills front seven also includes Leonard Floyd, AJ Epenesa, Von Miller, and Terrell Bernard, who we also touched on earlier. Their dominant and can make his life a living bleep on Sunday.
Jones has gotten the short end of the stick to start his career, there’s no doubt about that. However, at some point players just have to make plays. He did just about all he could last week in Vegas and if DeVante Parker hauled in that dime along the sideline, everything could have changed.
But he didn’t, and the Patriots are 1-5. Mac Jones needs to continue to do things like that not to try and fix this season, but put his career back on trajectory, no matter what comes his way next season.
3 - WR Stefon Diggs, Bills and 2 - CB J.C. Jackson, Patriots
If you’ve already taken a dive into my crucial clashes column for this weekend’s Patriots vs. Bills game, then you know how important the matchup between Stefon Diggs and J.C. Jackson this Sunday is.
If you haven’t, let’s dive into it.
Stefon Diggs has owned the Patriots over his last six games, to the tune of:
6 catches, 92 yards
9 catches, 145 yards, 3 TDs
4 catches, 51 yards
7 catches, 85 yards, TD
7 catches, 91 yards, TD
7 catches, 104 yards, TD
In most of those matchups, it’s been cornerback J.C. Jackson lined up against him. As of January 2022, the end of Jackson’s first stint with the Patriots, the cornerback allowed just a 49.8% completion percentage, a 38.1 passer rating, and just five touchdowns to 24 (!!) interceptions.
Against Diggs? It was an entirely different story: 66.7% completion percentage, 127.9 passer rating, three touchdowns and just one interception.
Jackson is back in Foxborough again and with their cornerback room banged up, both he and Diggs are worth keeping eyes on this Sunday.
1 - QB Josh Allen, Bills
The best player in Sunday’s contest in Foxborough is, bar none, Bills quarterback Josh Allen. The 7th overall pick in 2018, Allen has a 5-1 record against the Patriots in his last six games and has thrown 13 touchdowns to just two interceptions in those games.
A player who has been injury prone over the course of his career, Allen does his best against New England both protecting the football and taking the appropriate, calculated shots to help his team win. Though normally Bill Belichick is known for taking away a team’s best player, the Bills quarterback has been his kryptonite as of late.
Can Bill slow him down? Or is Allen back for another embarrassing butt-kicking of the former kings of the castle? As of now, I’ll go with the latter.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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