The Bills head into Week 4 in Orchard Park with a chance to move to 4-0 for the second straight season, but this one has the feel of a spot where Buffalo has to clean up the little things. New England arrives at 1-2 after a rough 35-6 loss to the Jaguars, and the Bills are coming off an uneven offensive showing against the Chargers that left plenty to fix.
Buffalo is still unbeaten, but the offense did not look sharp enough last Sunday. Against a Patriots defense that can make life uncomfortable, the Bills have to get more from several key pieces if they want to avoid a trap game.
Josh Allen sits at the center of it all. After looking like the MVP through the first two weeks, he had a rough outing against the Chargers with three turnovers, including two interceptions to DB Genesis Smith.
He still came through with the plays Buffalo needed in the fourth quarter, but Week 3 was a game to forget for the 2024 MVP. Against New England, Allen needs to come out fast and stay in control so the Patriots never get a chance to dictate the pace.
Dalton Kincaid is another player Buffalo needs to get going. He opened the season hot, then came back down to earth against the Chargers with just 2 catches for 38 yards and a fumble while trying to fight for extra yards. A healthy Kincaid has already shown what he can do, and the Bills need that connection with Allen working all day to keep New England on its heels for four quarters.
Ty Johnson also has a chance to matter in a bigger way after making his 2026 debut in Week 3. He had been out since August with a hamstring injury, but he made an immediate impact in the passing game with 4 catches for 50 yards.
He even had a big play wiped out by a block in the back penalty when Allen found him under heavy pressure, though Johnson still helped Buffalo move the chains on that sequence. With Joe Brady hinting at more Ray Davis involvement, Johnson still looks like the RB2 and will need to help James Cook out of the backfield.
Joshua Palmer is another name to watch. After only two total catches in the first two weeks, both touchdowns, he was quiet against his former team, the Chargers.
This matchup gives him a chance to bounce back, especially with DJ Moore and Keon Coleman still dealing with injuries. Buffalo could use him to help stretch and stress the Patriots’ secondary.
Alec Anderson rounds out the group, and his role may not show up in flashy numbers. He has been strong as a north-south blocker in the run game, but his pass protection has not been at the same level early this season. If that doesn’t tighten up, the Patriots could get interior pressure on Allen and make the day much harder than it needs to be.
In Other News...
Bills Let Another AFC East Game Slip Away For One Reason
The Bills had enough offense to stay in the fight with New England, but it still came down to a familiar kind of AFC East frustration. James Cook and Josh Allen both helped Buffalo move the ball and put points on the board, yet the back-and-forth game never quite tilted the Bills way as the Patriots kept finding answers.
Drake Mayes night mixed big throws with turnovers, but New England still came up with the plays that mattered most, including touchdowns from Romeo Doubs and Efton Chism III. Chisms late scoring catch helped seal the Patriots 29-26 win, leaving Buffalo with another divisional loss and another reminder that close games in this rivalry keep slipping out of reach. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Loss To Patriots Turns On One Infuriating Sequence
A jarring sideline exchange helped flip the flow of a tight game in New England, and the Bills were the ones who benefited in the moment. Mike Vrabel was hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after using profanity toward an official, and the flag extended a Buffalo drive that ended with a game-tying touchdown before halftime.
From there, though, the Patriots regrouped and finished with a 29-26 win, powered by Drake Mayes three-touchdown afternoon and a game ball from Vrabel. The penalty became one of the afternoons most talked-about sequences, and both Vrabel and official Bill Vinovich addressed it after the game, leaving Buffalo with plenty to wonder about on a day when a small flashpoint carried outsized weight. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Secondary Concerns Just Got Harder To Ignore After Patriots Loss
The Bills secondary left little room for comfort in the loss to New England, and Maxwell Hairston had a difficult afternoon trying to keep pace with Romeo Doubs. Hairston was beaten for two touchdown catches, a reminder of how quickly coverage issues can swing a game when Buffalo is already dealing with injuries and a thin defensive backfield.
Josh Allens late interception only added to the frustration, even with Keon Coleman giving the offense a bright spot by finishing with 116 receiving yards and a touchdown. The bigger concern for Buffalo is that the defensive questions did not just linger after the defeat, they showed up in moments that mattered most, and now they sit there for everyone to see. [Read more 🡒]