The New England Patriots are in desperate need of anyone to step up on the offensive side of the ball. Their skill positions have been weak all season. The Patriots are coming off of a 34-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The schedule granted them another game against one of the worst teams in the league and they took advantage.
That will not be the case in Week 16. New England will be taking on the Buffalo Bills and their strong defense. The Bills rank third in the league in total defense. That is mostly because of their work in the passing game. Buffalo is allowing 190.5 passing yards per game led by Tre'Davious White, who is tied for the league lead with six interceptions.
If there is one area where the Bills are vulnerable, it is in the run game. They are allowing over 100 yards per game on the ground. It is time for Sony Michel to step up for the Patriots. James White has been seeing a significant amount of snaps because of his ability as a receiver out of the backfield. In this game, the Patriots need to play a little ground-and-pound football if they want to come out on top.
Michel Time in NE
After a strong rookie season for a team that won the Super Bowl, Michel is seeing a bit of a sophomore slump. He is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry and has not rushed for 100 yards in any game this season. He has six rushing touchdowns, but three came in a Week 7 win over the New York Jets. Michel has not found the end zone since.
The Patriots hit a bit of a tough stretch prior to their win over the Bengals. They lost three of five, which is a big deal in New England. In the three losses, Michel totaled just 71 yards on 19 carries. The Patriots did not establish the run early and they could not once they fell behind. Michel finished with 89 yards in Week 15 after experiencing a nightmarish game the week before.
In Week 14 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Michel carried the ball five times for eight total yards. This will be a home game for New England. They have dominated teams on their home field for years. This season has felt different because of their lack of skill at receiver outside of Julian Edelman and on the offensive line. Against a shaky run defense, the Patriots need to implement a heavy dose of Michel.
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