Foxborough, Mass. (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Bills travel to New England to face the Patriots on Sunday, looking to improve 5-2 on the season.
In order to do that, here are my three keys to the game, plus notes and stats:
1.) Get going early
Slow starts have plagued the Bills offense each of the last two weeks. After scoring only seven points in the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, they were held scoreless through three quarters against the New York Giants. It cost them one victory and almost another.
If they continue to struggle to move the ball and not score early, they’ll open the door for the Patriots to pull a big upset.
2.) Defensive line step-up
The Patriots will already want to run the ball against the Bills, not only because it’s what they like to do, but also to play keep-away from Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense.
Now the Bills will have to stop that ground game without their two best interior defenders: DaQuan Jones, who is on Injured Reserve with a pectoral injury, and Ed Oliver, who has been ruled out with a toe injury.
The rest of the group, including Jordan Phillips, Tim Settle, and Poona Ford, have to step up and control the line of scrimmage when the Bills are on defense, and not allow New England to run the ball and control the clock.
3.) Be ready for anything
I think I write this key every year for the Bills against the Patriots, because every year, Bill Belichick might have something different up his sleeve. Especially this year, knowing his team is under-manned and under-talented on the offensive side of the ball.
Last year when these two teams played, they put a defensive back at wide receiver and scored on a screen pass thrown to him. It could be something like that again with a new player in a new position. It could be on special teams. It could be an entirely new offensive or defensive scheme.
Whatever it is, the Bills have to be ready for something they haven’t seen yet.
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