By CHUCK POLLOCK, Sun Senior Sports Columnist
Ever since New England came into Highmark Stadium and hung a 23-20 loss on the Bills last October, you got the idea there might be a changing of the guard in the AFC East.
After all, Buffalo had won five straight division titles and the Patriots had gone four years without a winning record and six without winning the AFC East.
But, alas, with that win in Orchard Park 10 weeks ago, the Pats announced there were two new sheriffs in town, Mike Vrabel, a former New England linebacker as coach, and second-year pro Drake Maye who finally had assumed the role as franchise quarterback since Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay.
That day the Pats ended Buffalo’s time as the NFL’s lone unbeaten (4-0) and established themselves as a certified division contender and soon proved it.
A few weeks later, due to the way the bye weeks worked out, New England had a 2 1/2-game lead in the AFC East and was the odds-on favorite to win it. Now, here we are in Game 14 and the Bills (9-4) are still alive to win the division albeit by a thread.
When they meet Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium (1 o’clock CBS-TV, Buffalo Bills Radio Network) it’s a must win as, with a loss, the Pats (now 11-2) would be three games up with with that many to play. But, a Buffalo win would even the head-to-head meetings at 1-to-1 and the Bills would trail by two games with three to go.
That would still be a heavy lift as Buffalo closes the season at Cleveland then at home with defending Super Bwl champion Philadelphia and the Jets who have nothing to play for.
New England’s final three games are at Baltimore and the Jets and home with the Dolphins.
ODDS-MAKERS favor the Bills by a point and the weather forecast predicts temperatures between 15-31 degrees with a 40% chance of snow and winds at 15 mph.
Buffalo has gotten healthier as the most critical loss looms as cornerback Christian Benford who was a one-man wrecking crew of Cincinnati in a 39-34 win a week ago, taking a Joe Burrow pass 63 yards for a touchdown in a play that changed the game. He also logged a sack. However, Benford is questionable for Sunday with a toe injury and so are wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) and middle linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow).
For the Patriots, running back Terrell Jenkins is out with a concussion and linebacker Robert Spillane is questionable with a foot injury.
DURING the week, Bills coach Sean McDermott became a bit philosophical when he related, “You learn when you go up against the best.
“You’ve got to play up to a certain level to win and that’s especially true this week.”
Of the Pats, McDermott pointed out, “(They’re) a really good football team … They’ve won 10 in a row and they’re out in front of many teams in the AFC including us.”
To which quarterback Josh Allen added, “Points will be at a premium against their defense, they’re doing a good job of keeping teams under 20ish points the entire season.”
In 12 games this season, New England has held opponents to the low 20 or fewer.
“We understand, as a team, what’s at stake,” Allen said. “Our main goal is to make the playoffs and we have an opportunity to put ourselves in a better position going out there and playing in a really hostile environment against a team that’s playing extremely well right now.”
And McDermott offered words of caution.
“What’s happened in the past and us winning five division titles in a row doesn’t impact this game or this year at all,” he said. “It’s what we do this year. Our players have done a really good job working through the adversity of the season and showing their toughness over the last few weeks.”
For the record, that Buffalo 23-20 loss was self-inflected with three turnovers (two fumbles and an interception) plus 11 penalties for 90 yards.
But Allen surmised, “If we’re holding onto the ball we’re a pretty good offense.”
POLLOCK’S PICK: Patriots 20, Bills 17
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
