MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT BUFFALO BILLS

BY ADAM GREENE

Well, somehow without even using the power of the flex, Monday Night Football has acquired the marquee match up of Week 13 when the New England Patriots travel to upstate New York to take on the Buffalo Bills.

What’s at stake here is simply the AFC East, or certainly control of it heading into the final five to six games of the season. The Pats currently hold the No. 2 seed in the AFC behind the Baltimore Ravens, whose luck could run out at any moment. A victory for Buffalo here and rediscovering their late season magic from a year ago could not only net them a home playoff game, but possibly homefield advantage in the playoffs.

Like our Sunday night potential playoff match up, this game too is a contest between two of the original AFL franchises. As such, this is their 123^rd all time meeting with New England holding a 76-45-1 advantage in the series. Buffalo has won the last two, sweeping the Pats last season, but before that New England reeled off seven straight victories over the Bills. From 2000-2019, Buffalo defeated the Patriots a total of four times.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT BUFFALO BILLS (-2.5, O/U: 43)

Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, N.Y.

Broadcast: ESPN

Kickoff: Dec. 6, 8:15 p.m.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (8-4)

The Patriots can lay claim to being the hottest team in the league right now, winning six straight games and three of them over serious contenders. This has not been a streak steamrolling a meadow of daisies. Last Sunday, New England crushed the Tennessee Titans 36-13 with Mac Jones throwing for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Jakobi Meyers caught five passes for 98 yards and Kendrick Bourne continued to make a name for himself, hauling in five for 61 yards and two touchdowns. New England’s defense sacked Ryan Tannehill twice and picked him off once, but did surrender 270 yards on the ground. Luckily, the Titans were gracious with the football, losing three fumbles to go with Tannehill’s interception.

BUFFALO BILLS (7-4)

The Bills bounced back from an embarrassing 41-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts by going through the New Orleans Saints like a plywood folding table, 31-6 on Thanksgiving. Josh Allen threw for 260 yards and four touchdowns, but also a couple of picks. He added 43 yards on the ground. Stefon Diggs caught seven passes for 74 yards. Buffalo’s defense sacked Trevor Siemian twice and intercepted him once. They held New Orleans to just 44 total yards rushing in the contest.

THE PICK

This is where the rubber meets the road for Buffalo. They spent the offseason thinking they were chasing the Kansas City Chiefs and are now fighting for their own division against a team that’s won it consistently over the last two decades. If Buffalo is going to turn it on and stop screwing around, now is the time. Bills 31, Patriots 24

Last week

Straight up: 6-9

Against the spread: 4-11

Season

Straight up: 106-73-1

Against the spread: 88-92

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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