The Buffalo Bills are sitting at 9-4, right in the thick of the AFC playoff picture. But with the Los Angeles Chargers also at 9-4 - and holding the tiebreaker thanks to a better record against AFC opponents - every game down the stretch carries massive weight. And none looms larger than the one coming up: a trip to Foxborough to face the New England Patriots.
This Week 15 showdown is more than just a rivalry game - it's potentially a turning point in the AFC East race. The Patriots, at 11-2, are holding down the No. 2 seed and can lock up the division with a win.
That would snap Buffalo’s run of AFC East titles dating back to 2019. The stakes?
Sky high.
The Bills are looking to even the season series after dropping the first meeting back in Week 5 - a game where Stefon Diggs went off for 10 catches and 146 yards, but it still wasn’t enough. That loss added another layer of urgency to this rematch. Buffalo needs to find a way to flip the script, and fast.
As they prep for the Patriots, the Bills made a quiet but potentially meaningful move, adding cornerback M.J. Devonshire to the practice squad.
Devonshire, a University of Pittsburgh product, was a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. Since then, he’s bounced around - a stint with the Panthers in July 2025, then a short-lived run with the Ravens before being waived in August.
Now, he lands in Buffalo, looking for a chance to contribute.
The addition comes at a time when the Bills’ secondary has been under the microscope. Tre'Davious White hasn’t looked like his old self opposite Christian Benford, and while rookie Max Hairston has flashed some playmaking ability, he’s still learning on the fly.
The growing pains have been real. Taron Johnson, meanwhile, has struggled to stay healthy, and his tackling has left something to be desired this season.
Buffalo tried to bolster the group last week by claiming veteran Darius Slay off waivers after he was released by the Steelers. But that move fizzled when Slay didn’t report - reportedly holding out hope for a return to Philadelphia instead.
And while the Bills’ pass defense looks strong on paper - they’re second in the league in fewest passing yards allowed - the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Against quarterbacks who can really sling it, like Drake Maye, the cracks have shown. The unit hasn’t consistently held up under pressure, especially in big moments.
So as the Bills gear up for what might be their biggest game of the season, they’re doing so with a secondary that’s still searching for answers - and a new face in the mix hoping to help. Whether M.J. Devonshire gets a shot on the active roster or remains a depth piece, the message is clear: Buffalo knows it needs to tighten things up on the back end if it wants to make a serious postseason run.