New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills
Time: September 20th, 1 PM EST
Location: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, New York
Entering week two every AFC East team is undefeated, but that is slated to change as New England visits Buffalo in one of the most talked about games of the week. Players from Buffalo including star defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and safety Aaron Williams have spoken out about their dislike for the Patriots organization and Head Coach Rex Ryan is up to his usual antics stoking the makeshift rivalry between him and New England. All the chatter stops for at least a few hours Sunday when the players hit the field. Here’s all you need to know for the clash between the Patriots and Bills.
How the Patriots Win
On Offense: New England arrives at Ralph Wilson Stadium coming off of an efficient outing against the Steelers in week one. Tom Brady successfully completed 70+ percent of his passes throwing four touchdowns and Dion Lewis had 69 yards rushing on route to a 28-21 opening day victory. Looking forward to Buffalo, the Patriots likely won’t have the same success on the ground particularly with the diminutive Lewis running between the tackles like he did week one. If the Patriots want to score on a Bills defense that allowed only 14 points to the prolific Indianapolis Colts offense they will need to protect Brady and spread out the defense. With the Buffalo Bills dominant defensive line getting consistent pressure up the middle and off the edge the vintage New England “papercut” offense will be a must to get the ball out quick. It appears that New England will once again be starting multiple rookies along the offensive line therefore the quick release from Brady to underneath receivers and tight ends over the middle will be crucial. Look for players like Lewis, Julian Edelman, and Danny Amendola who can get open in short spaces to play a huge role in the passing offense.
On Defense: Looking at the reverse side of the ball the game plan should be similar to the approach against the Steelers. Much like Ben Roethlisberger, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor is most dangerous on broken and extended plays. Taylor’s legs will force New England to play zone coverage keeping their eyes in the backfield. If the Patriots are to win, they need to stay disciplined in their zones and tackle well on players who make catches underneath. Last week against Pittsburgh the Patriots allowed 127 yards rushing to DeAngelo Williams in part because of Williams' ability to make the first player miss. With good athletes like LeSean McCoy, Sammy Watkins, and Percy Harvin the Patriots will need to make sure they keep the spaces in their zones small and wrap up on their tackles.
Key Players
Julian Edelman and the Tight Ends: With Brady needed to get the ball out quick it will be of the utmost importance that Edelman and company get open as quickly as possible. The Patriots will have to make the most out of Edelman’s quickness and Rob Gronkowski/Scott Chandler’s ability to box players out in order to move the ball and score on a solid defense.
Tre’ Jackson: It doesn’t get much more difficult for a rookie lineman than lining up against the Bills Kyle WIlliams and Marcell Dareus. New England guard Tre’ Jackson is tasked with the difficulty of stopping these two interior penetrators in only his second professional game. If Jackson and his fellow O-Lineman can protect Brady it will lead to victory, if they can’t it will spell disaster for the New England offense.
How the Bills Win:
On Offense: For Rex Ryan to re-cement himself as a legitimate playoff coach he desperately needs to string together wins against AFC East teams. With youth on offense however the task will be difficult against a savvy Bill Belichick coached defense. Starting with the run game the Bills should target the small-ish defensive ends on the Patriots roster. Players like Chandler Jones and Malcolm Brown are unproven run stoppers and should be the target for LeSean McCoy runs. Buffalo has a chance to repeat the success of the Steelers in the run game if they can seal the edge and stop the talented Patriot linebackers from getting to the outside. When throwing the Bills will have to pick their spots. Far from a solidified NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor will not be asked to throw the ball 40 times against the soft New England secondary however big plays will be their when the Patriots creep up to stop the run. Taylor will need to distinguish the zone coverage New England is running and challenge the seams along the sideline in cover two and three.
On Defense: Known for their defense the Bills simply have to perform up to par to be successful. The defensive line is a given with stars across the line getting after Brady and the Patriots running back. Less talked about in the front seven however is the linebackers. With Gronkowski and Chandler likely seeing the field constantly the Bills will need to disrupt these tight ends at the line to avoid large gains over the middle. The same goes for the receivers on the outside, if Buffalo can get up in the face of the skilled but small Edelman and Amendola they can force Brady to hold the ball and allow those studs on the D-Line to get home. If Rex Ryan truly wants to win he will take a page from the Giants’ victories over the Patriots in the past and NOT blitz, dropping seven into coverage often and allowing the D-line to all out rush the quarterback.
Key Players
Marcell Dareus: With stars on the edge like Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes viable options to be a key player they simply cannot have as much of an impact with Brady as the opposition. Time after time Brady has stepped up and around outside rushers and delivered the ball down field. If the Bills are to disrupt Brady they will need pressure right in Brady’s face. No quarterback in the NFL has success with defensive tackle pressure so Dareus has an opportunity to take over the game by pushing the pocket and penetrating up the middle in passing situations.
Tyrod Taylor: The Bills offense should be steady on the ground, but no team is willing to run the ball every play. In the past when throwing Rex Ryan has had the misfortune of players like Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith making key mistakes. Taylor would be wise to take safe check downs and pick his spots when throwing down the field. Turnovers and misreads by Taylor will be taken advantage of by the Patriots who win almost every game when winning the turnover margin.