The Patriots head into Sunday’s matchup with Buffalo already missing Christian Barmore and Christian Gonzalez, and the Gonzalez absence looms especially large.
That’s not just because he’s been one of New England’s most important defensive pieces over the last three years. It’s also because he has been playing like a shutdown corner again through the first three games, blanketing Jaxon Smith-Njigba, DK Metcalf and Brian Thomas Jr. and giving the Patriots the kind of coverage answer that changes how an offense has to attack.
The timing is rough for a defense that needs every bit of help it can get against the Bills, especially now that Buffalo has D.J. Moore in the mix. But New England may have caught a small break on the other side of the ball.
On Saturday afternoon, the Bills elevated defensive back Te’Cory Couch and cornerback Kani Walker from their practice squad, a move that pointed toward Christian Benford sitting out. Benford has been dealing with an injury all week and did not practice, and while he had not officially been ruled out as of early Sunday morning, the roster move strongly suggested Buffalo expected to be without him.
If that’s the case, it matters for a Patriots offense that has struggled to find its footing. Drake Maye could have a little more room to attack the Bills’ secondary, and that’s where DeMario Douglas comes into play. Buffalo has had trouble handling slot receivers over the past three weeks, which gives Douglas a chance to be the kind of difference-maker New England badly needs.
That doesn’t make this a favorable matchup by any stretch. The Patriots still have to find a way to slow James Cook and keep Josh Allen under control, and those are big asks with Gonzalez unavailable. But if Benford is out too, New England at least gets a little breathing room in a game where every small edge matters.
In Other News...
Patriots May Have Found A Needed Offensive Bright Spot Up Front
The Patriots 1-2 start has been defined by an offense that has struggled to generate much of anything, which makes any steady development up front worth noticing. One of the few encouraging signs came in Week 3 against Jacksonville, where Jared Wilson handled his work well and gave New England a cleaner look along the interior than it has often had through the first month.
Wilson has been working mainly at center this season, and the progress he has shown from earlier games is part of why his latest outing stood out. He did not allow a pressure or commit a penalty, and that was enough to land him on PFFs Team of the Week, a small but meaningful bright spot for a line trying to help stabilize an offense that badly needs it. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Let Another AFC East Game Slip Away For One Reason
The Patriots walked out of Buffalo with a 29-26 win in a game that had plenty of the usual AFC East friction, plus a few swings that kept it from feeling settled until the final stretch. New England got touchdowns from Romeo Doubs and Efton Chism III, while Buffalo answered with a Josh Allen strike to Keon Coleman, and the game had the kind of back-and-forth edge that has made these matchups so hard to separate in recent years.
What stood out, though, was how often the Bills were able to lean on James Cook on the ground and still never fully take control of the game. Buffalo also had chances fueled by multiple Drake Maye turnovers, but the Patriots kept finding enough offense and enough answers to leave the division rival still searching for what slipped away in another one-possession AFC East result. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Defender Sounds Off After Patriots' Rivalry Statement Win
The Patriots 29-26 win over the Bills at Highmark Stadium had the feel of a statement game, and it came together with a late touchdown catch by Efton Chism after Drake Maye helped engineer the comeback. Maye threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns, giving New England a big road result in a rivalry game that had plenty of energy well before the final drive.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson had plenty to say afterward about the matchup and Chisms catch, adding a little postgame edge to a result the Patriots will happily take on the road. Mike Vrabel, meanwhile, pointed to Chisms work ethic and the way he performed in the spotlight, which only added to the sense that New England may have found a player it can trust in moments like this. [Read more 🡒]