Sunday's game in Orchard Park between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots could be a sign of the changing times in the AFC East.
The Bills enter Sunday's contest with a 5-2 record with the opportunity to really open things up in the division with a win. If they get to 6-2, it would match their start to the 2019 season, where the team ended the year going 10-6 and clinching a Wild Card berth.
As for the Patriots, they have really struggled over the last three games, getting out-scored 77-28 and going from a 2-1 start to the season to falling to 2-4. Their offense has really started to sputter out with Cam Newton or Jarrett Stidham under center, while the defense has been giving up an average of 360.3 yards per-game.
In between the Bills and Patriots sit the Miami Dolphins with a 3-3 record, but they have a couple of tough matchups with the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals coming up. As for the New York Jets, they remain the only winless team in the NFL with an 0-7 record.
One common issue the Bills and Patriots face this week is injuries as a number of players on both sides are battling to get on to the field this Sunday at Bills Stadium.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott joined Howard Simon and Jeremy White for his weekly appearance on Buffalo Bills Football Friday on WGR. He confirmed on Friday that both guard Cody Ford (knee) and cornerback Josh Norman (hamstring) are out of Sunday's action, while players like Levi Wallace (ankle), John Brown (knee) and Jon Feliciano (pectoral muscle) and in a "we'll see" scenario to play.
McDermott also had more to say about this week's matchup with the Patriots, as well as what it means to match up against his former quarterback with the Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton, what he's learned from Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, and more.
Here is some of what he had to say:
McDermott on the progress of Ford coming back from injury:
"He's really working hard in the training room, and we'll see how things hold for him over the next few weeks here."
McDermott on the impact of Jon Feliciano in the lineup:
"We've got a lot of confidence in Jon. Having said that, he hasn't played, so whenever he play it will be his first action. We'll have to manage expectations there. Jon brings an aggressiveness and some identity to our offensive line when he plays, and he brings position flexibility as well."
McDermott on what Sunday's game against the Patriots means to the team:
"In the performance business, we have to continue to focus one week at a time and respecting every opponent, putting in the preparation and work we have to here to put in to play a good, quality football game on our side of the ball."
McDermott on what he learned about Cam Newton in his time with the Panthers:
"Off the field, he's an enjoyable young man to be around. He certainly lived a lot of his life [in the spotlight back then], and I thought he handled that well, which is hard to do. I have a respect for him there. He was always good to me and my family. On the field, he's a former MVP of the league, and for good reason. He's a really good football player."
McDermott on how to defend Newton and the Patriots offense:
"We want to be balanced in our approach, and play a good football game on our side and control what we can control. There's a lot we can improve on from last week, as we all are aware, and that's where our focus lies right now."
McDermott on what he's learned studying Bill Belichick:
"I think the thing that stands out the most is his consistency and what he's been able to do year-after-year. I think that speaks for itself on the outside when you look at their record, and I'm sure on the inside when you watch him go through his day-to-day business."
You can listen to the entire interview below:
