Entering Week 16 the Buffalo Bills are looking like Super Bowl contenders. Buffalo has won four straight games and seven of their last eight games. Now, after clinching the AFC East title last week, Buffalo will face the New England Patriots who dominated the division the last two decades.
The two teams matched up in Week 8, where the Bills won 24-21. A Cam Newton fumble in the final seconds was the deciding factor in that game. Since then the Patriots have been eliminated from playoff contention while the Bills are arguably the hottest team in the league.
Here are four bold predictions for the Bills versus the Patriots on Monday night football.
Bills emerge as AFC's No. 1 Contender
For majority of the regular season the AFC was a two team race. The Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers were sitting atop the AFC standings for the first 14 weeks of the season. However, after defeating the Steelers in Week 14, Buffalo proved to be amongst the AFC elite.
With that win over the Steelers, Buffalo holds the tiebreaker between the two teams making them the second seed in the AFC. Now, the question is can Buffalo matchup with the Chiefs who they loss to in Week 6, 26-17. Although, the Bills are a better team now, than when they gave up 245 rushing yards in that Week 6 matchup.
If the Bills are able to win their final two games, they could ride their current momentum to their first AFC Championship appearance since 1995.
Buffalo holds opponent under 20 points again
As mentioned earlier, the Bills are a different team than they were earlier in the season. The main reason for that, is their defense has vastly improved. Buffalo's defense is looking like they did last season when they led the team to the playoffs.
This season the Bills allow 24 points per game which ranks 16th in the NFL. That is a drastic drop-off from a defense that only allowed 16 points per game last season, which ranked second in the NFL. However, over the past month the Bills defense is starting to return to form.
Buffalo has allowed under 20 points in three of their last four games and they will do so again versus the Patriots. The Bills should dominate a Patriots offense that ranks 30th in passing yards per game and 27th in points per game.
Josh Allen has breakout game
In his third season as the Bills starting quarterback Josh Allen is having a breakout season. Allen has career highs in touchdown passes, quarterback rating and completion percentage. Nonetheless, Allen has struggled in four career games against Bill Belichick and the Patriots defense.
In four career games versus the Patriots, Allen has only three touchdowns passes to six interceptions and 50% completion percentage. Therefore, predicting a breakout game from Allen against the Patriots is a very bold prediction.
On Monday night Allen will surpass a season high of 415 passing yards and throw for five touchdowns which would also be a season high.
Bills score over 40 points for second straight week
The prediction of Allen's breakout game goes hand and hand with the prediction that Buffalo will score over 40 points this week. As the Bills offense is led by their passing game and as Allen goes so does their offense.
Last week the Bills scored a season high 48 points against the Denver Broncos. Both Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley went over one hundred yards receiving. Not to mention, the Bills also got 182 yards from their rushing game.
Expect another big rushing game from the Bills this week, as last time they faced the Patriots they had a season high 190 rushing yards. With a projected big game from Allen and a productive rushing game the Bills should easily eclipse 40 points in route to a win over the Patriots.
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