The Buffalo Bills host the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football with their perfect 4-0 record on the line. Josh Allen and the Bills face Drake Maye's rising Patriots in a big AFC East game under the lights at Highmark Stadium.
Both teams come into Week 5 with different stories. The Bills are unbeaten and looking like Super Bowl contenders. The Patriots sit at 2-2 but have shown real improvement with their young quarterback.
A big divisional game in prime has a chance to get wacky, so here are two bold predictions for the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
Josh Allen will throw for 300+ yards and multiple touchdowns
Josh Allen enters this game playing at an MVP level again. He has completed 70.2% of his passes for 964 yards with seven touchdowns and just one interception through four games.
The Patriots defense may struggle to stop him. New England allows 241 passing yards per game and ranks among the worst pass defenses in the league. Allen also has a 10-2 record on Sunday Night Football in his career, and he loves playing at home in primetime. This game could set up perfectly for a big performance.
“We need every ounce, every decibel that we can get,” Allen said about the home crowd atmosphere.
James Cook will score two touchdowns
James Cook leads the NFL with five rushing touchdowns and ranks second with 401 rushing yards this season. He has rushed for over 100 yards in three straight games.
The Patriots defense has been has been on the good side against the run this season, allowing just 77.5 rushing yards per game. But against the Saints in Week 4, the Bills netted 189 rushing yards on 5.6 yards per carry.
Cook is likely to score at least two touchdowns. The Bills offense ranks first in rushing yards per game and loves to run the ball in the red zone.
Drake Maye could keep Patriots in the fight
Drake Maye has been impressive this season. The second-year quarterback has completed 74% of his passes through four games. He became the first quarterback since Tom Brady in 2007 to complete 75% of passes with two touchdowns in three straight games.
“We got our hands full but we're excited,” Maye said about facing the Bills. “This is a great checkpoint to see what we got”.
The Patriots offensive line has looked much-improved this year, which gives Maye time to find receivers like Stefon Diggs.
Diggs recorded his first 100-yard game as a Patriot recently and will be coming back to Buffalo for this game, where he spent the most successful years of his career.
“It's going to be a crazy atmosphere,” Diggs said. “In the division, they say it's one game, but it damn near counts as two”.
Buffalo's defense may create multiple turnovers. The Patriots have eight giveaways through four games, showing they still make mistakes.
The Bills have won 14 straight home regular-season games. They play tough defense at Highmark Stadium, especially in the white-out atmosphere they planned for this game.
Cole Bishop has emerged as a playmaker in the secondary, having already snagged one interception. The Bills pass rush averages two sacks per game and will likely pressure Maye into tough throws. However, he has shown that he can still operate even under difficult circumstances.
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel knows this is a huge test.
“It's important to take the next step and show that we are ready,” Vrabel said. “The last time they lost at home was 14 games ago. We're well aware of that”.
The Bills score 33.3 points per game, second-best in the NFL. Buffalo has scored touchdowns on every opening possession this season. The Patriots will need to play perfect football to keep up, but Maye is the kind of quarterback that can match that.
Bottom line
The Bills are likely to cover the 7.5-point spread with a 31-21 victory. Buffalo's combination of home field advantage, better talent, and playoff motivation may be too much for New England.
The game total should go over 49.5 points. Both teams can score, and the Bills love to put up points at home. Allen will throw for over 300 yards with three touchdowns, and Cook will find the end zone multiple times.
This game shows the difference between a championship contender and a rebuilding team. Allen will continue his MVP season while Maye will gain valuable experience. The Bills will move to 5-0 and take firm control of the AFC East with a win.
Sunday Night Football will showcase why Buffalo is one of the best teams in football. The Patriots will compete hard, but the Bills are simply too good at home in primetime.
