Bold predictions for the New England Patriots against the Bills in Week 16.
Now on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs, the New England Patriots hope to round out the 2020 season on a high note while looking ahead to starting fresh and rebounding during the 2021 campaign.
Following a loss a week ago on the road against a divisional opponent, the Patriots were officially eliminated from postseason contention for the first time since the 2008 season. With two games left to play in 2020, New England tries to get at least back to the .500 mark on the year riding into the offseason.
In Week 16 between the holidays, the Patriots will return home to take on another AFC East opponent when they host the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
The game will be the second of two games between Buffalo and New England in 2020, with the Bills taking the first game of the year 24-21 in Week 8.
With the second and final game of the 2020 year between the Patriots and Bills set to take place on national television on Monday, here are some bold predictions that will take place for New England in the game.
3. Patriots struggle to contain Bills passing game
For the most part, New England’s defense has been a bright spot on a team that has experienced a decent amount of disappointment throughout the 2020 regular season.
As the defense has kept the Patriots in many games to this point in the year, they will once again hope that is the case in Week 16 at home against the Bills. Unfortunately for New England, its defense will have a hard time against a solid Buffalo team on the other side of the field.
Coming into the game, the Patriots defense ranks 11th in the NFL, giving up an average of 21.5 points per game along with an average of 355.3 total yards per contest.
Buffalo, however, features the sixth-ranked offense in the league, including the second-ranked passing game and the 21st-ranked rushing attack. The Bills trail only the Kansas City Chiefs when it comes to league rankings in the passing game.
Along with facing a top-notch offense in the contest, New England will also be without star cornerback Stephon Gilmore over the final two weeks of the regular season. Gilmore suffered a season-ending torn quadriceps injury in Week 15, forcing his season to come to a close after the team placed him on the Injured Reserve list going into Week 16.
The Patriots defense already had their work cut out for it even at full strength against the Bills, but now they might have an even tougher time on Monday against Buffalo.