Patriots Embrace Underdog Role Ahead of Week 15 Clash with Bills
The AFC East standings might show the New England Patriots on top, but don’t expect Vegas to hand them any favors. As they prepare to host the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, the Patriots enter the matchup as slight home underdogs - a 1.5-point spread that’s caught some attention, but not much concern inside the building.
Head coach Mike Vrabel, never one to get caught up in the noise, shrugged off the underdog label when asked about it midweek.
“It gets brought to our attention,” Vrabel said Wednesday. “But every week in this league, records don’t mean much.
Point spreads, survivor pools - they get blown up all the time. We’re just focused on our preparation.
Had a good day Monday, and we’re building through the week.”
That mindset has been a defining trait of this Patriots team all season long. Despite flying under the radar in the preseason - with sportsbooks setting their win total at 8.5 - New England has already blown past that mark with 11 wins. And they’re not just stacking victories, they’re doing it with a chip on their shoulder.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, one of the emotional leaders on this squad, had a simple reaction when told the Patriots were underdogs again.
“Good,” he said, without hesitation.
Diggs, who knows what it means to be overlooked - a fifth-round pick himself - sees this team’s identity reflected in that label. And he’s leaning into it.
“This team is full of guys that were castoffs, cut, or didn’t get the opportunity they wanted,” Diggs explained. “That’s why it’s good for us.
Being an underdog, a lot of us have been that our whole lives. We’re used to having something to prove.”
That edge has been more than just motivation - it’s been a driving force behind the Patriots’ success. They’ve built a culture around resilience, and it’s showing up in the way they play: aggressive, focused, and unbothered by outside expectations.
The last time these two teams met, New England edged out the Bills 23-20 in Buffalo back in Week 5. That win wasn’t a fluke - it was part of a larger trend. The Patriots have made a habit of outperforming projections and winning close games, something that speaks to both their preparation and their mindset.
Diggs summed it up well: “Nobody believes in us but us. The record is surprising to everybody else. All we did is take it one game at a time, and I think we’ll keep doing the same.”
So while the betting line might say underdog, the Patriots aren’t playing like one - and they’re certainly not thinking like one. With the division lead on the line and a rematch brewing in Foxborough, New England is right where they want to be: underestimated, motivated, and ready to prove it all over again.