The NFL calendar is about to flip to Week 13. That means, in the end, the Patriots are on to Buffalo.
During the previous month, Bill Belichick’s staff has dumped the Jets twice, embarrassed Indianapolis, and simply went toe-to-toe with the Vikings on Thanksgiving night time earlier than dropping a heartbreaker.
All of that pales compared with what’s on deck and the way they fare in opposition to the Bills on Thursday night time.
This is actually the place the rubber meets the street for the Patriots. This is the place Belichick’s staff is outlined, and to a lesser extent, Sean McDermott’s staff.
Twelve weeks gone, it nonetheless seems just like the Patriots have fairly just a few extra warts than the Bills.
Last season, the Patriots have been capable of beat the Bills aided by monsoon-like circumstances in Orchard Park. Then they misplaced their two subsequent conferences, and somewhat handily with the final one occuring within the postseason.
What, if something, has modified since they final met?
Both groups have new offensive play-callers following the departure of their two extremely profitable offensive coordinators, Josh McDaniels for the Patriots, and Brian Daboll for the Bills.
Former Bills quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey was elevated into the position, whereas former Lions head coach and former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has taken over the play-caller duties.
It hasn’t precisely run easily for both one, though Mac Jones & Co. have struggled rather more with the transition. But that’s the first distinction with the groups, together with the Bills including eight-time Pro Bowl go rusher and two-time Super Bowl champion Von Miller to the protection.
Most of the opposite dynamics have remained the identical.
The Bills, at 8-3, are one of many favorites to win the Super Bowl, whereas the Patriots, at 6-5, aren’t within the dialogue. That was the case final yr, and remains to be the narrative this yr.
Of late, the Bills have turn into a barometer of types for the Patriots, versus the opposite means round.
The Bills are the “it” staff with the star quarterback, whereas the Patriots are nonetheless attempting to recapture some relevance with out Tom Brady underneath middle.
The last two conferences with the Bills final yr have been eye-opening by way of how far the Patriots had fallen, but in addition set the bar for a way excessive they should rise.
The Pats have been utterly demolished within the Wild Card spherical recreation, 47-17.
For that matter, the Bills weren’t pressured to punt in both of the final two video games. It was a damning commentary on Belichick’s protection, but in addition drove residence how a lot the offense wanted to enhance to maintain up on the scoreboard.
With their Week 13 matchup forward, we’ll see in the event that they’ve by some means managed to shut the hole. Or if the Bills, who sit atop the AFC East, proceed to be an arm’s size above them.
The Bills have proven a little bit of vulnerability in latest weeks. But will that translate once they play the Patriots?
On Thursday, the Lions gave the Bills all they may deal with, and McDermott’s staff appeared shaky at instances. But they finally rose to the problem. When push got here to shove, their superstars delivered.
They made the large performs once they completely needed to have it, which is the hallmark of nice groups.
Allen hit Stephon Diggs with an absolute laser down the center for a jaw-dropping 36-yard completion in a crowd to arrange the successful subject purpose with just a few seconds left on the clock.
Not many quarterback-receiver combos make that play. But Allen & Co. are often cash once they should be.
The Patriots? They left you each inspired and discouraged by their efficiency in opposition to the Vikings. The offense lastly appeared purposeful, and able to producing factors. But their troubles within the purple zone, to not point out with the sport on the road, are problematic.
Same with the protection. They’ve been terrific in opposition to the lesser quarterbacks and receiving corps. But like final yr, they fell aside in opposition to a great quarterback with elite weapons.
The Vikings — with Justin Jefferson delivering one go to go together with the 37 Kirk Cousins threw — accomplished 81.6% of their passes, the second-highest share allowed by the Patriots within the Belichick period, per ESPN.
Overall, Cousins went 30-of-37 for 299 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Basically, the Pats couldn’t take away the Vikings best energy. Jefferson had 9 catches for 139 yards and a landing. Adam Thielen added 9 catches for 61 yards and a landing. Tight finish T.J. Hockenson had 5 catches for 43 yards and a landing.
Will it’s any totally different with Allen and his weapons, led by Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Dawson Knox?
ESPN analyst Damien Woody believes groups can run on the Bills, which might fall into the Patriots wheelhouse.
And whereas he thinks Buffalo stays the favourite within the division, and a professional Super Bowl contender, they aren’t with out flaws.
“I think the key with Buffalo, if you can keep the game close, you’ve got a shot at winning it,” he mentioned. “They don’t operate well in close games.”
After their Week 7 bye week, the Bills have had some bother placing groups away within the second half.
Case in level, within the 5 video games since their break, the Bills have been outscored, 67-41, within the second half and extra time – a giant purpose why their report is simply 3-2 in that point.
Allen, who’s taking part in with a UCL damage in his throwing elbow, has additionally had some points with turnovers, notably within the purple zone. Counting the Thanksgiving recreation in opposition to Detroit, he has now thrown a purple zone interception in 4 of the previous 5 video games and has essentially the most purple zone picks within the league with 4.
Before this stretch, he had thrown two in his profession (first 67 video games), in accordance with ESPN.
Even so, the Bills have received their final two video games, and appear to have righted the ship, at the very least on offense. Defensively, nevertheless, they misplaced Miller to a reported knee damage. He’s anticipated to overlook a while.
They had been with out some key members of their secondary, most notably cornerback Tre-Davious White, who was energetic in opposition to the Lions after lacking the primary 10 video games getting snug following ACL surgical procedure final yr. Safety Jordan Poyer, who had additionally missed a while, additionally returned.
White, nevertheless, was on a pitch depend. He performed simply 15 snaps in opposition to the Lions after which watched the remainder of the sport from the Bills sideline. Dane Jackson performed your complete recreation and rookies Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam cut up time on the opposite aspect.
Safety Micah Hyde, in the meantime, is completed for the yr. But they’ve managed to get by thus far with their depth and reinforcements and nonetheless have top-of-the-line defenses, statistically, within the league.
“I believe from top the bottom, they got the best roster in the league,” mentioned Woody. “Their quarterback just gotta stop turning the ball over.”
While the duty won’t appear fairly as daunting as final season, the Patriots are nonetheless going to be hard-pressed to recover from the Buffalo hurdle. We’ll see what performs out Thursday night time at Gillette.
Wilson’s benching
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how lengthy Zach Wilson sits in Robert Saleh’s doghouse.
The second-year quarterback wasn’t going to see the sphere in any respect Sunday, with Mike White beginning, and veteran Joe Flacco the backup in opposition to the Bears at MetLife Stadium Sunday.
Understandably, Saleh doesn’t wish to bury Wilson, the No. 2 total choose in final yr’s draft. But what if the Jets look higher with White on the controls?
Saleh, publicly anyway, was nonetheless behind Wilson, whose play and perspective have come underneath hearth, most notably after the latest 10-3 loss to the Patriots. Wilson took no accountability, which didn’t sit nicely within the Jets locker room.
“Is it a small step back? Absolutely,” Saleh mentioned throughout his media session Wednesday. “But do I think it’s going to be a great leap forward when he gets a chance to reset himself? Absolutely. So, this is not putting a nail in his coffin. This is not that. This is not close to that. But I do believe, at the end of this, it’s going to be a rejuvenated, renewed young man.”
OBJ watch
Owner Jerry Jones advised reporters Thursday that he had made official contact with free agent receiver Odell Beckham Jr. about becoming a member of the Dallas Cowboys for the stretch run.
Jones indicated talking with Beckham on the telephone on previous to the Cowboys’ 28-20 Thanksgiving Day victory over the New York Giants.
Jones mentioned the telephone go to went nicely, and an official in-person go to is being arrange for the receiver, who’s a free agent, and nearing an finish to his rehab from ACL surgical procedure.
When advised that Jones had made contact with Beckham after the sport, quarterback Dak Prescott sounded hopeful.
“He’s not stopping,” Prescott mentioned by way of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about Jones and the Cowboys’ continued pursuit of Beckham. “But that’s good. I might send him another message … let him know how I feel. But I’m focused on what I can control and the guys in the locker room now. ”
Along with the Cowboys, the Bills and Giants are additionally reportedly within the combine for the star receiver.
Dynamic duo
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid appreciates being the beneficiary of calling performs for top-of-the-line offensive tandems within the NFL.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are actually within the dialog with Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski for finest QB-TE duos all-time.
Mahomes and Kelce merely teamed up for 4 landing passes, together with the game-winner with 31 seconds to go, in final week’s 30-27 win over the Chargers.
“You’d like it to last forever,” Reid mentioned of Mahomes and Kelce by way of the Kansas City Star. “These guys develop outdated, and it’s not (going to final endlessly), so what I do is I attempt to take pleasure in each minute of it, each play. Their chemistry is ridiculous.
Mahomes mentioned he and Kelce are very a lot alike, that’s why they click on.
“He’s just a competitor,” Mahomes mentioned. “I believe that’s one of the best expertise that Travis has. It’s not the dimensions, the pace, the route working. It’s that he’ll compete to the very finish, and he’s going to go down preventing.
“I think that I’m the same way, as I’m going to do whatever I can to win no matter what the score is. We have a lot of guys like that on this team, and I think that’s what makes great teams is guys that won’t give up even when it doesn’t look great.”
Compliments to the chef
Patriots DL Carl Davis acquired a kick out of listening to that Mac Jones would belief him essentially the most to prepare dinner at Thanksgiving dinner.
Jones was requested the query throughout his look on WEEI’s “Merloni, Fauria and Mego” present.
For his half, Davis mentioned he was considerably stunned by Jones’ selection, however “you can never go wrong with the big fellas.”
At 6-5, 320 kilos, there’s rather a lot for Davis to feed.
For the report, Davis mentioned he likes to grill. He’s not likely a turkey man, however should you’re searching for a steak, ribeye particularly, Davis is your man.
“I got my own secret recipe, which is still a secret so I can’t tell you,” Davis mentioned with a smile.
Davis mentioned he takes his cues by speaking with the cooks within the cafeteria about recipes.
“I’m pretty inquisitive, he said. “I like to ask a lot of questions.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com