Are the Bills really out of the Patriots’ shadow? Two back-to-back AFC East titles suggest this is the case, as does a Christmas weekend rematch between rivals, in which Buffalo bounced back from the two teams’ first meeting to beat 12-year-old Bill Belichick. points to Foxborough. Still, here we are, with Super Wild Card Weekend upon us, and the first thing standing in the way of the Bills returning to the AFC Championship game is those pesky Patriots.
The rivals hardly ever meet in the playoffs, but on Saturday they will face off in a rubber match to not only determine the winner of their 2021 series, but which club will advance in the Super Bowl LVI race. We present a preview of the match below with tune-up information, key questions for the game, and a final score prediction:
How to watch
Dated: Saturday January 15 | Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Site: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, New York)
TV: CBS | Flux: Paramount + (click here)
To follow: CBS Sports app
Chances: Invoices -4, O / U 44
Key questions
- What will the weather be? The Patriots only threw the ball three times in their Week 13 victory over Buffalo amid gusty winds, but the Bills prevailed in more normal conditions at Foxborough. Forecasts indicate that wind won’t be a major issue this time around, but single-digit temperatures and sub-zero wind chills could end up influencing the scenario.
- Will the Bills look into the racing game? They have several reasons for doing so: 1.) the Patriots struggled to stop ground play on the home stretch; and 2.) Josh Allen is at his best when he doesn’t have to do everything himself. Devin Singletary might have another decent workload.
- Does Mac Jones have it in him? Realistically, Belichick will keep Jones’ burden light, trying to control the ball with close-zone targets and plenty of runs. But rookie QB is going to have to make some key throws to outsmart Allen on the big stage. He’s been confident but dazzling this year, and the Bills have a “D” capable of forcing mistakes.
Prediction
Latest odds:
Bison bills -4
As long as Belichick is on the sidelines, the Patriots cannot be counted. They will be ready to play tough football, especially if the weather guarantees a more race-based approach. And Jones has shown more than enough to make New England fans dream of future discord. But Belichick is 0-2 in his two Wild Card appearances since 2009, and the absence of a veteran QB star like Tom Brady still matters. As promising as Jones is – he’s taking his first steps in this area – he’s allowed mistakes to pile up in his “down” starts, and the Pats aren’t quite built to survive multiple mistakes there. .
The Bills, on the other hand, were themselves streaked, especially in attack. But Allen has the advantage of an improved ground attack, plus the emergency option of his own legs. Stefon Diggs and their pass-catching body should be able to work against a Pats secondary with some depth issues. And Sean McDermott’s defense has been here before.
Take: Bills 24, Patriots 21
