New England Patriots
The Payments have appeared higher as of late, even when Josh Allen has sometimes needed to masks a few of their flaws.
Probably the largest recreation the Patriots have had since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020 is almost right here.
The Patriots host the Payments on Sunday in a matchup that might win them the AFC East. If New England takes down Buffalo, the Patriots might be AFC East champs for the primary time in six years. However because the Patriots journey a 10-game successful streak, they go up in opposition to a 9-4 Payments group that’s appeared higher as of late and will delay them from giving out hats and t-shirts for one more couple of weeks.
So, let’s take a better take a look at the Payments and 5 issues to find out about them forward of Sunday’s matchup with the Patriots.
Josh Allen continues to be enjoying at an MVP stage, or not less than near it.
If the Payments wind up getting dethroned by the Patriots within the AFC East this season, it definitely received’t be Josh Allen’s fault that Buffalo’s five-year streak of successful the division would come to an finish.
Of the 4 quarterbacks (Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson) who many felt had been within the elite class coming into the season, Allen is clearly having the perfect 12 months of the group. Allen’s truly on tempo to place up higher numbers than he did when he received MVP a 12 months in the past, finishing a career-high 70.1 p.c of his passes for 3,083 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a 102.9 passer score.
Allen’s been simply pretty much as good as he was final 12 months on the bottom, too. He’s rushed for 487 yards on 5.6 yards per carry, whereas his 12 dashing touchdowns are by far essentially the most of any quarterback and are tied for the third-most within the league.
However going again to Allen’s passing, the season he’s having is much more spectacular when you think about that his main receiver solely has 585 receiving yards this season. He’s been one of many NFL’s finest passers when it comes to attacking the center of the sector, finishing 63.3 p.c of his intermediate throws (10-to-19 air yards) for 1,004 yards, eight touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 117.1 passer score, per Professional Soccer Focus.
Nonetheless, Allen hasn’t been as nice at throwing the ball deep this 12 months. He’s accomplished simply 17 of his 42 passes the place the ball has traveled not less than yards down the sector for 470 yards, 4 touchdowns, three interceptions, and an 84.4 passer score.
Nonetheless, it’s fairly clear that Allen is a menace to do main harm to the Patriots on Sunday. He threw for 253 yards and rushed for 53 within the first Patriots-Payments matchup this season.
James Prepare dinner is among the recreation’s prime few working backs, however he’s bought a notable weak point in his recreation.
Whereas Allen lacks expertise round him within the passing recreation, he not less than has a robust working mate out of the backfield.
James Prepare dinner is second in dashing yards this season (1,308), whereas his 5.3 yards per carry is the sixth-highest amongst eligible rushers. He’s additionally added 267 receiving yards and a receiving landing this season, serving as an occasional checkdown possibility for Allen.
As Prepare dinner’s had a profession 12 months, although, he’s additionally among the many league leaders in a stat nobody desires to be tops in: fumbles. Prepare dinner has fumbled the ball six instances this season, which is tied for the seventh-most within the league. However it’s the very best mark amongst working backs. No different working again has greater than 4.
4 of these fumbles have come within the final two weeks, fumbling the ball twice on the identical drive in opposition to the Bengals final week. A kind of fumbles was recovered by the Bengals as Prepare dinner was about to hurry in for a landing.
The Patriots had been capable of maintain Prepare dinner in examine within the first assembly between the 2 groups. He rushed for 49 yards on simply 3.3 yards per carry within the first matchup.
The Payments’ offensive line is among the finest within the league.
The Payments’ offensive line additionally makes up for his or her lack of sturdy choices at large receiver. Buffalo ranks third in each pass-block and run-block win price, with each of its beginning offensive tackles (Dion Dawkins, Spencer Brown) rating within the prime 20 on the place in pass-block win price.
Professional Soccer Focus recently ranked Buffalo’s offensive line because the fifth-best unit within the league. It famous that the Payments solely gave up 5 pressures of their win over the Bengals final week.
That isn’t nice information for a Patriots defensive entrance that’s banged up and has had some struggles these days. They haven’t logged greater than two sacks in a recreation since Week 7, they usually’re giving up 4.9 yards per carry over their final 4 video games. In truth, the Patriots rank thirty first in success price in opposition to the run since Week 9, per ESPN’s Mina Kimes.
However Buffalo’s line of defense may enable New England’s offense to have some success on Sunday.
Fortunately for the Patriots, the Payments’ defensive entrance isn’t significantly better than theirs. They rank twenty seventh in pass-rush and twenty first in run-stop win price. The Payments have additionally majorly struggled attending to the quarterback in latest weeks, logging simply three sacks of their final 5 video games.
In that very same five-game stretch, Buffalo’s opponents have rushed the ball for 627 yards on 4.7 yards per carry. However the Patriots weren’t capable of exploit that weak point in Week 5, dashing for 71 yards for 3.2 yards per carry.
Will the Patriots be capable to discover extra success on the bottom this time round in opposition to the Payments? TreVeyon Henderson has proven some improved play with extra touches.
The Payments have an rising standout at cornerback who may miss Sunday’s recreation.
As Buffalo’s defensive entrance has struggled, it not less than has a participant on the backend who’s helped it in a serious approach these days
Cornerback Christian Benford has logged an interception in every of the Payments’ final two video games, together with a pick-six in final week’s win over the Bengals. He was solely focused twice and didn’t enable a reception, per PFF. He’s additionally allowed simply 155 receiving yards and 0 touchdowns when focused in Buffalo’s final eight video games, largely masking Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins final week.
Patriots large receiver Stefon Diggs, who was on the Payments once they drafted Benford in 2022, remembers seeing lots of potential within the cornerback straight away.
“When he was a rookie, he was a standout in camp, like from Day 1,” Diggs told reporters this week. “When it got here to attempting rookies, I favored to push them, to see what we’ve bought. It was simply one thing about him.
“I favored his demeanor, how he performed. He wasn’t a chump. You’re not going to bully him. He was quiet, however he’s sensible, and actual technical together with his method. His power was him enjoying what he noticed. And he’s a ballplayer. He’s nonetheless a ballplayer. He wasn’t a robotic.”
However the Patriots may catch a break and keep away from enjoying Benford on Sunday. He’s questionable for Sunday’s recreation with a toe harm and didn’t apply on Friday.
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