Post-Game Talk: Cam Newton’s Fumble Kills Patriots’ Comeback Bid, Bills Win 24-21

[Fenway]

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Sunday's matchup between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots has quite the different feel, and it's beyond the Patriots being 2-4 and the Bills 5-2.

For the first time since Week 2 of 2015 in Buffalo, the Patriots will not be favored in a division game, as they are currently 3.5-point underdogs. The 30-game streak as betting favorite in division games was the longest active streak by a big margin.

So, are the Patriots still the team to beat in the AFC East?
Patriots safety Devin McCourty was asked that question Wednesday and he doesn't think so.

“They’re first in the division. We’re 2-4,” McCourty said via video conference. "So I definitely won’t call us the team to beat this year. I know me personally, I talk about it every year, it doesn’t matter what’s happened here in the past. I’ve always said that when you talk about the Super Bowls won in the early 2000s, that doesn’t have anything to do with us. Super Bowls won after 2010, that has nothing to do with us.

“I will say right now we’d be crazy to think coming into the game that we’re the team to beat, like they’re No. 1. This is going to be a huge challenge for us on the road, you know, the top team, we’ve got to really bring our A-game coming off three straight losses. So I think for us, our backs are against the wall, we’ve got to go out there and play well.”

McCourty also noted the team can respond well to the losses as well as they can, but all that doesn't matter unless they start winning games.

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[smithformeragent]

Their schedule softens a bit in the 2nd half, but they MUST take care of business against the division.

4-2 at minimum.

Miami is the wild card in all of this.

 

[Fenway]

Their schedule softens a bit in the 2nd half, but they MUST take care of business against the division.

4-2 at minimum.

Miami is the wild card in all of this.

WNY fans have been waiting for this game for over 20 years but at least it is an empty stadium.

They should beat the Jets twice

Those back to back games in LA will be tough

 

[McGarnagle]

Their schedule softens a bit in the 2nd half, but they MUST take care of business against the division.

4-2 at minimum.

Miami is the wild card in all of this.

I think they have to sweep the Bills if they want the division. They're too far back and would have to rely on the Bills losing every tough game on their schedule the second half. 9-7 won't cut it. We've got a loss coming up against Baltimore, and have to think that one of Arizona or the two LA games will be a loss. That puts us at 6. You've gotta win both those Buffalo games.

 

[LSCII]

They can't score a touchdown. They can't stop the running game, and they've gotten destroyed in the passing game. With a mobile QB in Josh Allen, I think they're going to get it fed to them pretty hard this weekend.

 

[Mione134]

 

[McGarnagle]

They can't score a touchdown. They can't stop the running game, and they've gotten destroyed in the passing game. With a mobile QB in Josh Allen, I think they're going to get it fed to them pretty hard this weekend.

I'll grant you the first point, their finishing ability in the red zone is atrocious. But the run defense is a strength of this team. They only got chewed up last week because they were absolutely blown up since they had just sat down to rest after a 15 play drive when idiot Newton throws an INT on the first play of the following drive putting them right back on the field.

Pass defense is overall good. Gilmore looks like he doesn't care anymore, but Jonathan Jones is a star in the making. They create turnovers there. Take out Russell Wilson going super saiyan in week 2 and their averages look very good - not to the all-time great level that was last year, but it's still the strength of their team.

 

[JRull86]

WNY fans have been waiting for this game for over 20 years but at least it is an empty stadium.

They should beat the Jets twice

Those back to back games in LA will be tough

View attachment 374707

Wonder if the NFL is allowing them to stay out on the west coast for that back to back in LA, like they normally would?

 

[McGarnagle]

Jules out for this game and a few more due to his knee. Might need surgery, but Jeff Howe doesn't expect him to miss the whole season.

He's already missed games 1 through 6 so I hope makes it back sometime this year.

 

[JRull86]

I'll grant you the first point, their finishing ability in the red zone is atrocious. But the run defense is a strength of this team. They only got chewed up last week because they were absolutely blown up since they had just sat down to rest after a 15 play drive when idiot Newton throws an INT on the first play of the following drive putting them right back on the field.

Pass defense is overall good. Gilmore looks like he doesn't care anymore, but Jonathan Jones is a star in the making. They create turnovers there. Take out Russell Wilson going super saiyan in week 2 and their averages look very good - not to the all-time great level that was last year, but it's still the strength of their team.

I'd assume Gilmore is traded, but he's still first on the team in all the measurable for a CB. If he's checked out, it isn't really showing on the field.

 

[LSCII]

I'll grant you the first point, their finishing ability in the red zone is atrocious. But the run defense is a strength of this team. They only got chewed up last week because they were absolutely blown up since they had just sat down to rest after a 15 play drive when idiot Newton throws an INT on the first play of the following drive putting them right back on the field.

Pass defense is overall good. Gilmore looks like he doesn't care anymore, but Jonathan Jones is a star in the making. They create turnovers there. Take out Russell Wilson going super saiyan in week 2 and their averages look very good - not to the all-time great level that was last year, but it's still the strength of their team.

The run defense is giving up over a 130 yards per game. 132.2 to be exact.27th in the league. They're also 12th in the league for total points given up by a defense. So middle third.

Fins 87 yds
Sea 154 yds
LV 126 yds
KC 94 yds
Den 135 yds
SF 197 yds

So I don't see how you call that a strength in any way, shape, or form.

 

[LSCII]

98.5 is reporting that Edelman had a procedure on his knee and will miss some time.



Schefter has it now too...

 

[JRull86]

98.5 is reporting that Edelman had a procedure on his knee and will miss some time.



Schefter has it now too...

Bone on bone.

Explains a lot. I have that in my knee, it sucks

 

[smithformeragent]

Boxers don’t have an old timers day.

 

[smithformeragent]

Set aside the QB for a moment; where is the talent on the offensive side of the ball?

 

[Seidenbergy]

Set aside the QB for a moment; where is the talent on the offensive side of the ball?

Bill Belichick would respond "I'm only going to talk about the players that are here." Followed by crickets.

In all seriousness....Damien Harris has some promise. Byrd?

 

[Oates2Neely]

When is the draft?

 

[KrejciMVP]

Set aside the QB for a moment; where is the talent on the offensive side of the ball?

James White is the best they have. Could be a fantasy start if your starting RB has a bye

 

[McGarnagle]

Bill Belichick would respond "I'm only going to talk about the players that are here." Followed by crickets.

In all seriousness....Damien Harris has some promise. Byrd?

Byrd has some wheels on him. I guess he has the best burst off the line of scrimmage out of every WR in the game. If the Pats had two legitimate receiving targets that the safeties had to worry about, you'd see Byrd getting a fly pattern or two thrown his way every game for a deep gain. Like Dante Stallworth in 2007. But when Harry is useless and Edelman can't run, they can just put a deep safety on Byrd's half of the field and neutralize that.

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

Time to tank

 

[LSCII]

When is the draft?

Not soon enough. It'll be hard to catch the NYJ though, since they have a big lead in tanking. Would be f***ing hilarious if the Jets did get the top pick and Trevor Lawrence decided to stay in school...

 

[LSCII]

Set aside the QB for a moment; where is the talent on the offensive side of the ball?

Asking people to name the best player from a bunch of scrubs is meaningless. It's like being the thinnest fat guy. Either way, you're still fat.

 

[DangleCity]

I'd assume Gilmore is traded, but he's still first on the team in all the measurable for a CB. If he's checked out, it isn't really showing on the field.

The all 22 film albeit I havent watched it, but from writers who have, it looks like Gilmore is completely checked out especially in the run game

 

[Don Cherry]

I hate to state the obvious, Edelman is done. If Newton doesn't win Sunday then he is too. Gilmore is done as a Patriot.

 

[Maine Fan]

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Sunday's matchup between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots has quite the different feel, and it's beyond the Patriots being 2-4 and the Bills 5-2.

For the first time since Week 2 of 2015 in Buffalo, the Patriots will not be favored in a division game, as they are currently 3.5-point underdogs. The 30-game streak as betting favorite in division games was the longest active streak by a big margin.

So, are the Patriots still the team to beat in the AFC East?
Patriots safety Devin McCourty was asked that question Wednesday and he doesn't think so.

“They’re first in the division. We’re 2-4,” McCourty said via video conference. "So I definitely won’t call us the team to beat this year. I know me personally, I talk about it every year, it doesn’t matter what’s happened here in the past. I’ve always said that when you talk about the Super Bowls won in the early 2000s, that doesn’t have anything to do with us. Super Bowls won after 2010, that has nothing to do with us.

“I will say right now we’d be crazy to think coming into the game that we’re the team to beat, like they’re No. 1. This is going to be a huge challenge for us on the road, you know, the top team, we’ve got to really bring our A-game coming off three straight losses. So I think for us, our backs are against the wall, we’ve got to go out there and play well.”

McCourty also noted the team can respond well to the losses as well as they can, but all that doesn't matter unless they start winning games.

WOW, how can it be a Must Win game? Why?