By the sound of their post-game feedback, the Patriots are grateful they have to flip the web page after a tricky Thanksgiving loss at Minnesota.
Because quickly sufficient, the Bills can be in Foxboro for the most important recreation of the season.
“Yeah, it’s a huge game. I think Buffalo is the top, top team in the league,” stated Patriots quarterback Mac Jones. “Obviously they’re playing really well when you watch crossover film and things like that. Just a great team. We have to be able to play better to win. We know the challenge ahead,”
In their final two conferences, the Patriots famously didn’t drive a single punt from the Bills, who gained 33-21 in New England final December after which 47-17 in a Wild Card playoff romp. The Pats know they’ll’t permit Buffalo to go just like the Vikings did Thursday evening, when No. 1 receiver Justin Jefferson went off for 9 catches, 139 yards and a landing.
Bills All-pro wideout Stefon Diggs, a former Viking, has averaged greater than six catches and 94 yards per recreation in his profession in opposition to the Patriots, with 4 touchdowns in 5 conferences.
“We’ve got another guy that’s pretty good next week, so we’ve got to look at what we can do to better handle a guy like that between Diggs and Gabe Davis next week,” Pats security Devin McCourty stated. “It will be a very similar challenge to what we got with Jefferson. If we play like that against No. 1 guys, it’s going to be a long year.”
Hours earlier than the Patriots kicked off at Minnesota, the Bills eked out a 28-25 win at Detroit. Quarterback Josh Allen began a game-winning drive with 23 seconds on the clock, discovered Diggs for 36 yards and took a pair carries to place kicker Tyler Bass for a 45-yard discipline aim with two ticks remaining. The win pushed Buffalo to 8-3 and briefly a half-game forward of the Dolphins, who’re slated as heavy house favorites versus Houston on Sunday.
Buffalo’s three losses have come by a mixed eight factors, together with an unbelievable extra time defeat versus Minnesota two weeks in the past. The Bills are thought-about the NFL’s most well-rounded crew, having entered Thursday’s recreation with a top-6 rating in offense, protection and particular groups by Football Outsiders’ opponent-and-situation-adjusted metric DVOA. Allen was additionally considered as a number one MVP candidate till he hit a tough patch to begin November.
“Tough opponent, division game, so we’ve got to get ready to go,” McCourty stated. “Buffalo will be ready to come in Thursday night, so we’ve got to get over this and regroup and get ready to go.”
If the Patriots lose to the Bills, they’ll fall to 6-6 and their playoff odds will drop to 33%, per FiveThirtyEight’s NFL forecast. If they win, they’ll soar to 66% with a 7-5 file and two remaining division video games versus Miami and at Buffalo within the season’s two closing weeks.
Source: www.bostonherald.com