Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - This could be the last chapter.
The Patriots will face the Buffalo Bills this Sunday at Highmark Stadium, which could very likely be the final time Bill Belichick travels to Orchard Park as New England's head coach.
Rumors have been plentiful with regards to speculation of Belichick's future in New England. The most recent of which came from NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran, who reported the Patriots have already made the decision to move on from Belichick after the season.
If true, it will be a symbolic end of an era to the Patriots' dominance over the Bills. Of course, like most things with Belichick, that really ended when quarterback Tom Brady walked out the door.
Belichick went 32-3 against the Bills with Brady at quarterback. Without Brady, Belichick's record against the Bills is 5-9, including the most embarrassing playoff loss we've ever seen in the 2021 AFC Wild Card Round.
For 20 years, it was two guaranteed losses at the start of every year when looking at the Patriots on the Bills schedule. Yet, once gameday would show up, you'd sometimes convince yourself they could actually pull it off? OK, maybe once the game got going?
Because of all the losses, it really made the wins special and memorable when the Bills beat Belichick.
Every Bills fan remembers defensive tackle Sam Adams strutting past Brady, as Buffalo beat the Patriots, 31-0, in 2003.
Bills fans also remember Drayton Florence's pick-six as Buffalo upset the Patriots in 2011 to improve to 3-0.
The wins were so special, because they were so rare. That really is a testament to the dominance of Belichick... or Brady.
Let's be real, there's a reason Belichick has the same win percentage without Brady as his quarterback as Joe Philbin. We have a large sample size that says without Brady, Belichick is a below average head coach.
Belichick is 84-101 without Brady. That's a decade's worth of evidence. It's no different if you want to analyze just the Bills matchups too.
What would Belichick's record versus the Bills be if Brady never went under center for the Patriots? It certainly wouldn't have been 32-3 over a 20-year stretch.
If we use Belichick's win percentage in games without Brady versus other teams and apply that to 35 games against the Bills, that would be 15 wins instead of 32.
A 17-win difference could've been the difference towards the Bills making the playoffs once or twice.
So when Belichick's lowly Patriots team stumbles through Buffalo on Sunday, bask in what they've become. Enjoy it. Chant goodbye songs, assuming the game is going well, and take it all in.
There's a good chance this is your final chance to dunk on Belichick before he moves on.
