Five questions returns in full for Week 5, Rumblers! The Buffalo Bills are undefeated, and set to take on a 2-2 New England Patriots team that continues to turn some heads. The reality is that both teams have not faced the most difficult schedule through one month of play, aside from their respective AFC North matchups.
Bills-Patriots has seldom been a competitive rivalry in the 21st century — and really you’d have to go back to the pre-Super Bowl Bills era to find a more balanced rivalry period in their
long history. Have things begun to shift for the Patriots, now that Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels are back, as head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively? Many of their fans feel that’s the case, especially with efficient and competent play by second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Is this the Bills’ toughest matchup of the season, even considering a fully healthy Baltimore Ravens team in Week 1? That may be a stretch, but divisional games are often difficult to gauge. One thing’s true: This is no longer the same post-Brady/Belichick Patriots of a few years back.
For tonight’s matchup, I spoke with Taylor Kyles of Pats Pulpit to get a better pulse on the current state of the Patriots. We cover lots of ground, from Maye in year two, to Stefon Diggs, and what to expect out of New England’s run game. Plus, we also touch on the best gameplan when facing the Patriots and how New England might pull off a big upset.
Read on below, for more from Taylor…
1. It appears the Patriots have found their present and future at quarterback in Drake Maye. In his second season, what’s been Maye’s biggest asset to New England’s offense?
There’s been a lot to like about Drake Maye in year two, but his mobility has been a real weapon for the Patriots this season. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has dialed up more moving pockets each week, which has taken pressure off the offensive line while creating opportunities for easy yardage. Opponents have also been hesitant to play man against New England because of Maye’s scrambling ability. The ground game doesn’t lean into read-option and designed keepers as much as McDaniels’ 2020 offense under Cam Newton, but we’ve seen sprinkles of zone read and counter bash (back away from pullers).
2. There was plenty of speculation regarding what version of Stefon Diggs’ the Patriots would find. Clearly, it’s the best one — a productive and motivated veteran. What stands out about Diggs’ on-field contributions and how he works with Maye?
Stefon Diggs has been a quality and reliable veteran at wide receiver, which Maye didn’t really have in his first season. Diggs’ precise routes, knowledge of when to settle against zone, and automatic hands have made him Maye’s favorite target alongside tight end Hunter Henry. Diggs was more of an underneath target in the first few games, but last week he had explosive gains on two crossers and a back shoulder fade, which he and Maye were up-and-down on this summer. It’s been fun watching their chemistry grow.
3. The Bills have really struggled to stop opponents in the run game through four games, giving up more yards on the ground than in the air. What should Buffalo expect from the Patriots’ run attack Sunday evening?
The Patriots’ new-look offensive line and multiple run scheme have led to some inconsistency this season, and right guard Mike Onwenu hasn’t been as consistent as expected. That said, they can create vertical displacement on both sides of the ball, especially on downhill concepts behind right tackle Morgan Moses and tight end Austin Hooper. The Patriots’ athletic left side of Will Campbell and Jared Wilson has flashed on outside zone and toss plays. If history tells us anything, McDaniels will have some fun wrinkles in this plan to create misdirection against the Bills’ aggressive front.
4. You’ve been tasked with game-planning to face New England this weekend. What’s the best way for an offense to attack the Patriots’ defense, and for a defense to frustrate and limit the offense’s production?
Offensively, attack their linebackers as much as possible through the air. Guys like Robert Spillane, Jack Gibbens, and Jahlani Tavai get good depth in zone coverage, but they can be exploited in space or when left 1-on-1. Rookie safety Craig Woodson has also struggled at times when manned up against tight ends.
Defensively, I’d spin the coverage dial on Drake Maye and force him to throw underneath. Maye has mostly avoided throws into bad windows, and he’s got one of the highest passer rating in the league against post-snap shell changes, but he’s still a young quarterback who hasn’t seen everything. Try creating confusion so Maye has to hold the football for an extra tick or two.
5. Despite the favorable odds for Buffalo, what have you seen in the Patriots’ games leading up to Week 5 that points to a victory in Week 5?
Maye and McDaniels look like a match made in heaven through four weeks, and they’ve made everyone around them better in the passing game. The rushing attack has also shown signs of incremental growth that could pay off on a Sunday. Their defense doesn’t have a ton of household names, and K’Lavon Chaisson missing the game is significant, but their defensive front has been exceptional and Christian Gonzalez fixes most of their early coverage issues. And I can’t forget about special teams, which has produced scores on kick and punt return.
My thanks again to Taylor Kyles for taking time to chat with me about Bills-Patriots. You can check out more of Taylor’s work here, and be sure to dive into my side of this conversation, the Bills equation, at Pats Pulpit.
