The stakes are sky-high in Foxborough this weekend, and CBS is sending a familiar, high-profile crew to cover it.
For Sunday’s pivotal AFC East showdown between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, CBS will have Ian Eagle, JJ Watt, and Evan Washburn on the call. That trio-CBS’s No. 2 broadcast team-has already covered a Bills game earlier this season, calling Buffalo’s Week 11 matchup against Tampa Bay. Now, they’re back for a game that could reshape the playoff picture.
You might be wondering why Jim Nantz and Tony Romo, CBS’s top team, aren’t on this one. They’re headed west for the Packers-Broncos matchup in Denver, a late-afternoon tilt featuring two teams battling for the top seed in their respective conferences.
Given those implications, it makes sense. But make no mistake-Bills-Patriots is every bit as meaningful, especially in the AFC East.
Let’s break it down.
The Patriots are 11-2 and riding a 10-game winning streak, the longest active run in the NFL. Their only loss?
All the way back in Week 2. Since then, they’ve looked like a machine-efficient, physical, and led by a rookie quarterback in Drake Maye who's playing with the poise of a seasoned vet.
Maye's name is now firmly in the MVP conversation, and with good reason. He’s been the engine of New England’s resurgence, and the Patriots haven’t lost since they walked into Buffalo and handed the Bills their only home loss of the season in Week 5.
That loss still stings for Buffalo-and it should. The Bills are 9-4 and trail the Patriots by two games in the division.
A win this weekend keeps their AFC East title hopes alive. A loss?
That likely seals it for New England. So yes, this one carries weight.
Buffalo still controls its own destiny when it comes to playoff positioning, but the margin for error is razor-thin. They’re currently one game ahead of Houston and Indianapolis, and tied with the Chargers in a crowded AFC Wild Card race.
Every win matters. Every loss is a potential knockout blow.
And while the Patriots have Maye lighting it up, the Bills have their own MVP-caliber quarterback in Josh Allen. He’s the heartbeat of Buffalo’s offense and the kind of player who can change a game with one throw-or one run. Allen will need to be at his best to outduel a Patriots defense that’s been among the stingiest in the league during their win streak.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on CBS, and the weather could add another wrinkle.
The forecast? 30 degrees with a chance of snow-classic December football in Foxborough.
That means ball security, field position, and trench play could decide this one. It’s not just a test of talent-it’s a test of toughness.
So while Nantz and Romo will be in Denver, Eagle and Watt will have front-row seats to one of the most meaningful matchups of Week 15. And if recent history is any indicator, we’re in for a heavyweight fight between two AFC powerhouses with postseason dreams-and division bragging rights-on the line.