Since Tom Brady took over the starting quarterback job for the New England Patriots he is undefeated against the Buffalo Bills when playing at home in a meaningful game. The only Bills’ victories in Foxborough came in 2014 against a Patriots team that was resting starters and in 2016 against third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The Bills will still have a chance at the playoffs with a loss to New England, but a win would make their road to the postseason a little easier. So how can they do what they’ve never done?
Preview of what it is going to take for the #Bills to beat the #Patriots pic.twitter.com/b9atU7tDYa
— Buffalo Rumblings (@BuffRumblings) December 21, 2017
The short answer: play at their best, on both sides of the ball, for a full game. That is asking a lot, but it is what the great teams do when they need a win. The Bills have shown flashes of greatness on one side of the ball or the other for short periods of time this year. They need to string those moments of greatness into a full game or they don’t stand a chance against the mighty Patriots.
Take the first Patriots game for example. The Bills defense held one of the best offenses in the game to just 9 points in the first half. However, the Patriots came out in the second half and almost immediately put the game out of reach with two straight touchdown drives. After a great opening drive ended in an interception at the goal line the Bills offense mostly served to provide the defense time to catch their breath before the Patriots offense took it to them again.
The Bills have shown the ability to beat the Patriots this season, but they have not been able to put a complete effort together. If they can do so against New England they have a shot at doing something they have not done during “The Drought” and at the same time taking a giant leap towards ending “The Drought”.