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Buffalo Bills have flipped the script in the AFC East

By Russell S. Baxter

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills runs the ball for a first down against the New England Patriots during the first quarter in the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills runs the ball for a first down against the New England Patriots during the first quarter in the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /
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It has been two years of total domination for a franchise that struggled just to reach the playoffs for nearly two decades. The Buffalo Bills are clicking again.

It was total domination by Sean McDermott’s club at frigid Orchard Park on Saturday night. The AFC East champion Buffalo Bills disposed of the rival New England Patriots in convincing and startling fashion. The team’s 47-17 victory saw quarterback Josh Allen and the offense roll up 300 total yards and own a 27-3 lead by intermission.

Allen hit on 84.0 percent of his passes (21-of-25) for 308 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran six times for 66 yards. Buffalo abused the New England defense for 482 total yards, the second time this year that Allen and company racked up 400-plus yards against the Pats.

It continued a pretty impressive run by a club that went from 1996-2019 without winning a division title or a postseason game. It was also the Bills’ fourth win over the Patriots in their last five meetings. From 2000-19, a span of 20 seasons and 40 games, Bill Belichick’s squad owned a 35-5 record in this longtime rivalry.

The Bills have now captured the AFC East these last two seasons. Over that span, the club is a gaudy 12-1 vs. their divisional adversaries. The lone loss was a 14-10 Monday night setback to the Patriots this season in Week 13. All told, in their last 13 outings vs. their division brethren (including playoffs), McDermott’s club is 4-1 vs. the Patriots and 4-0 vs. both the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.

And even with that four-point loss to New England in early December, the Bills own an amazing plus-216 point differential (417-201) in their last 13 clashes vs. their AFC East foes dating back to 2020.

Their recent domination of the AFC East aside, McDermott’s rejuvenated club has now won five straight games. The Bills remain one of 12 franchises not to capture a Lombardi Trophy and haven’t been to the Super Bowl since 1993. Their quest to play on February 13 in Los Angeles continues.

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