The Buffalo Bills (8-6) need to win out to claim back-to-back AFC East titles. Standing in their way is an old foe: head coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots (9-5).
If Buffalo knocks off New England in Foxborough and then takes care of business at home against the Atlanta Falcons (Jan 2) and the New York Jets (Jan 9), the Bills will win the division and earn at least one home playoff game. The stakes couldn’t be much higher for Sunday’s 1 PM EST clash in New England.
Besides playing for a divisional title, the Bills are also searching for a measure of revenge after Belichick ran the ball 46 times and threw only three total passes during a 14-10 Patriots victory on Monday Night Football in Week 12 at Highmark Stadium.
That game was played in blustery and at times snowy conditions, and despite Buffalo’s failing to stop the Patriots’ rushing attack, the Bills still had back-to-back trips into the red zone in the fourth quarter. But Buffalo was held out of the end zone twice, part of a 1-for-4 performance in the red zone that night.
This win-and-take-control-of-their-playoff-destiny scenario was made possible after the Bills rolled the Carolina Panthers 31-14 during a Week 15 game in Western New York, combined with the Patriots dropping a 27-17 decision to the Indianapolis Colts.
Sunday’s game is the 124th meeting all-time between the Bills and New England. The Patriots lead the series 77-45-1, with New England winning earlier this year and Buffalo sweeping the 2020 season series by scores of 24-21 on November 1 in Western New York, and 38-9 on December 28 in Foxborough.
Buffalo is listed as a 2.5-point underdog at New England. The Bills will be wearing their white jerseys with white pants and white helmet. Here are all the ways to catch Sunday’s game from home:
TV/Streaming/Radio Schedule
Date: Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Channel: The game will be carried on CBS on WIVB and CFTO in Buffalo, WROC in Rochester, WKTV, WTVH, and WBNG in Syracuse, WBNG in Binghamton, WBNG and WENY in Elmira, WKTV, WTVH, and WRGB in Utica, WKTV, WRGB and WCWN in Albany, WWNY in Watertown, and WSEE in Erie. View the broadcast map.
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst), and Evan Washburn (sideline reporter).
Streaming: FuboTV and the Buffalo Bills app (especially helpful for those with DIRECTV)
Location: Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA.
Radio: WGR 550 AM (Buffalo), WCMF 96.5 FM and WROC 950 AM (Rochester), Fan 590 AM (Toronto), WKRL 100.9 FM and 106.5 FM (Syracuse), and the rest of the Buffalo Bills Radio Network.
Radio Play-by-Play: John Murphy and Eric Wood with sideline reporter Sal Capaccio.
Online: NFL Game Pass, NFL.com Game Center
Betting Odds*
Line: Patriots by 2.5
Social Media
Twitter: Follow @BuffRumblings for complete Bills coverage on Twitter before, during, and after every game.
Instagram: @buffalorumblings
Facebook: Like Buffalo Rumblings on Facebook!
Buffalo Rumblings Podcast Links
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Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for the Buffalo Rumblings YouTube channel to get great shows like The Overreaction Podcast, Code of Conduct, Hump Day Hotline, Off Tackle with John Fina, Food for Thought, Time 2 Shine, and The Chop Up!
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Editor’s note: If you’re viewing this in Apple News, you’ll need to head to your podcast app or phone’s web browser to hear the embedded audio file.
Wednesday Injury Report
Buffalo Bills
- Full participant: QB Josh Allen (foot).
- Limited participant: DE Jerry Hughes (foot), S Micah Hyde (back), WR Emmanuel Sanders (knee).
- Did not practice: RB Taiwan Jones (knee).
New England Patriots
- Limited participant: C David Andrews (shoulder), DT Christian Barmore (knee), LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (ribs/ankle), RB Brandon Bolden (knee), K Nick Folk (left knee), RB Damien Harris (hamstring), WR N’Keal Harry (hip), DB Adrian Phillips (knee), LB Matthew Slater (illness).
Did not practice: WR Nelson Agholor (concussion), RB Rhamondre Stevenson (illness).
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