The Buffalo Bills are determined to reclaim a dominant position in the AFC East after falling into second place last year — behind the upstart New England Patriots. Josh Allen and the Bills have a new stadium this year and they are determined to regain their position atop the division and hopefully go much further than that. The Bills have a new head coach in Joe Brady and they are undefeated through their first three games of the season.
The Patriots appear to have a talented roster and certainly want to defend their AFC title. They made it to the Super Bowl last year but could not contain the powerful Seattle Seahawks. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye came into the season as a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate, but he has gotten off to a halting start and the Patriots are 1-2 as they prepare to face the Bills at Highmark.
It may be early in the season, but this is clearly a crucial game for the Patriots. Head coach Mike Vrabel had a very difficult offseason from a personal perspective and pressure is growing for New England to turn things around. Maye has completed 51 of 80 passes for 585 yards with just 1 TD pass and 6 interceptions. Last season, Maye had a 31-8 TD-interception ratio.
A bad start doesn't mean that a brutal season will follow, but he needs to turn things around quickly. It needs to start in this game.
Allen will throw 2 TD passes and run for another score
Allen is the most dynamic quarterback in the league. He is capable of delivering multiple spectacular plays on an every-game basis, and he has proved this throughout his nine-year career. However, he has not been able to take the Bills to the Super Bowl. To this point in his career, he has been the heartbreak kid because he has been so close to the promised land but he has not been able to reach it.
After struggling in the Bills 24-16 victory over the Chargers, Allen should be on point against a Patriots defense that fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars by a 35-6 margin in Week 3.
Allen completed 16 of 26 passes for 204 yards against the Chargers. He did not throw a TD pass and the Chargers intercepted him twice. He did not have a big day running the ball, but he did score two rushing touchdowns, including the go-ahead score midway through the fourth quarter.
The powerful quarterback will always take it upon himself to make the plays that the Bills need to win games, and that has been a winning philosophy in the regular season. At some point, however, he will have to get the lesson that it's not all on him.
It won't happen against this division rival. Look for Allen to throw one TD pass to D.J. Moore and another to tight end Dalton Kincaid against New England.
He will also punish the Patriots with a rushing TD in the fourth quarter.
Patriots will rush for 175 yards, taking pressure off of Maye
Maye is in a funk as he starts his third year in the NFL. That's a key point to remember, because there are no guarantees that a great second season like the one the quarterback had last year will lead to another dominant season.
That's called the human factor, and Maye has to understand that the roof hasn't fallen in. The Patriots and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels can help him out by depending on the ground attack. The Patriots have a pair of solid running backs in Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, and they can take the pressure off of Maye.
The numbers are not overly impressive to this point as Stevenson has rushed 31 times for 116 yards with a long run of 24 yards, while the speedy Henderson has 24 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown. If the Patriots can get a little push from their offensive line, the Patriots should be able to push the Buffalo defensive front.
Stevenson is a smart and clutch running back who only needs a small crack to get through the line. Henderson has explosive speed and can break a long run if he gets to the outside and past the first wave of tacklers.
Consistent production from the ground game will take heat of Maye, and he will breathe just a little bit easier. Stevenson will rush for 90 yards and a touchdown and Maye will avoid throwing an interception.
Bills will remain undefeated with close victory over Patriots
While the Patriots feel they have to win, the Bills are not going to lose at home to their struggling archrivals. However, the Patriots are going to steady themselves, avoid turnovers and fight hard into the late stages of the fourth quarter.
The Bills come away with a 24-17 victory, but the Patriots can feel good about themselves going forward.