The New England Patriots (5-2) head to Buffalo for an AFC East showdown, while Tom Brady is seeking his 29th victory over the Bills (2-5). Patriots are a two-touchdown favorite against the last-place Bills, who are forced to start third string quarterback Derek Anderson on Monday Night Football.
The Patriots are on a four-game winning streak that’s on the verge of becoming a five-game winning streak. With an easy opponent on Monday Night Football, Bill Belichick’s biggest concern is getting his Patriots out of Buffalo without any major injuries.
New England Patriots (5-2) at Buffalo Bills (2-5)
Kick-off: 8:15pm ET
Location: New Era Field, Orchard Park, NY
Point Spread: Patriots -14
Over/Under: 44.5
Bills Can’t Score
The Buffalo Bills are last in the NFL in scoring with only 11.5 points per game. In three losses this season, the Bills scored five or fewer points. Over the last four games, the Bills scored only two touchdowns.
In a loss to the Indianapolis Colts last week, the Bills scored 5 points. Aside from a field goal from Stephen Hauschka, the Bills only other score was a safety when Colts’ QB Andrew Luck fumbled out of the end zone.
The Bills have a middle of the road defense that allows 25 points per game, but they’re unable to generate enough offense to compete. The most action you’ll see on Monday in Buffalo will be #BillsMafia fans throwing themselves onto flaming tables for sheer enjoyment in the stadium parking lot.
Lake Erie QB Shuffle
Rookie QB Josh Allen will not suit up due to an elbow injury. After the Nathan Peterman experiment failed, head coach Sean McDermott tapped backup Derek Anderson to start against the Pats. Anderson contributed four turnovers with three interceptions and a fumble in a 37-5 loss to the Colts.
Anderson has zero chance to win on Monday Night Football without Sean McCoy, who left the Colts game due to a concussion protocol. The veteran running back has yet to be cleared, but he practiced with the team this week.
“Obviously, that’s not ideal for us as a team, to lose Josh and shuffle through three quarterbacks now. But at the end of the day, we have to do our job, and we’re not holding our bargain up on defense consistently,” said linebacker Lorenzo Alexander.
Brady 28
Tom Brady has 28 career wins against the Bills. No quarterback in NFL history has beat a single team more than Tom Brady has with the Bills.
Brady (16 TD, 7 INT) is on the cusp of another win, especially with his offense hitting peak production. Brady threw his 500th touchdown to join the exclusive 500 TD Club. Over the last four games, the Pats averaged 39 points per game. Brady was thrilled to have Julian Edelman back before Josh Gordon was added mid-season.
Since returning from a four-game suspension, Julian Edelman caught 16 balls and two touchdowns over the last three games.
Since Josh Gordon arrived from a trade with the Cleveland Browns, the speedy WR added 11 catches and a touchdown. Against the Bears, Gordon led the team in receiving with 100 yards.
Michel Down, White Up
The Patriots won last week’s game without RB Sony Michel and TE Rob Gronkowski (back).
Gronk returned to practice this week, but was limited in action. Gronk’s numbers are down this season with only 26 receptions and one touchdown.
Michel, a rookie from Georgia averaging 4.4 yards per carry with 4 TDs, left the Bears game with a knee injury. The RB missed practice this week and he’s listed as questionable.
Luckily, the offense had James White to step up. White is primarily a passing back, but he was called into action as a traditional running back when Michel went down. White finished the game with 97 combined yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
“I talk about James White a lot,” Tom Brady said in a local radio interview. “But you just couldn’t ask for a better player, a better teammate. Someone who is as dependable and consistent as he’s been as long as he’s been here. He’s really invaluable to our team.”