The Buffalo Bills can take control over the AFC East Division this week with a win over the New England Patriots. If they earn a victory on Sunday, they’ll improve their record to 4-0, while the Patriots will drop to 1-3. Even if the Miami Dolphins manage to beat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, that means the best a second-place team can be at the end of Week Four is 2-2, and that’s only possible if the New York Jets go on the road to beat the Chicago Bears.
In short, the AFC East is a mess in the early
going, as every team but the Bills is dealing with myriad issues. Buffalo looked like a machine on offense in its first two games, but they took a step back last week while struggling against the Los Angeles Chargers. While they ultimately came out with a win, the Bills are hopeful that they can play a much cleaner game this week.
Buffalo has a big opportunity in front of them this week. Here are five players we’re watching who can help them open up a big divisional lead.
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QB Josh Allen
After two absolutely dominant performances to open the 2026 NFL season, Allen and the Buffalo offense were not sharp last Sunday. How does he bounce back from a stinker? That’s what I’ll be watching this week, and I expect that he’ll be just fine. Even in what was theoretically a “down year” for Allen statistically last season, he completed 69% of his passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns against just one interception in both games against the Patriots. He had twenty rushes for 101 yards across the two games, as well. With New England’s top corner, Christian Gonzalez, dealing with an injury, it could give Allen some even more favorable matchups if Gonzalez is unable to go. top Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore hasn’t practiced this week, either, so Buffalo is likely facing a banged-up Patriots defense either way this week. Allen was clearly disappointed in himself after last week’s three-turnover performance, and I think it’s important for him to start hot on Sunday to wash that bad taste out of his mouth. He’s been too good for too long for me to worry about it lingering, but it would be fun to see him go five-for-five for 60 yards and a score on a game-opening drive in what is a big-time divisional matchup.
An RB Other Than James Cook III
Cook has been electric this season, leading the NFL in yards per carry with an absurd six yards per tote so far. He’s also playing on 71% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps and he’s totaled 62 touches through three games. That’s a heavy workload for Buffalo’s RB1, and while it would of course be nice for him to keep producing at the rate he has, I’d like to see someone step in and provide a capable change-of-pace so that Cook doesn’t burn out early on in the season. Ray Davis has essentially become a kickoff return specialist only, as he has just 20 offensive snaps this season. Ty Johnson logged nearly that many snaps (15) in his Week Three season debut. Cook is phenomenal, and I’d like the Bills to continue allowing him to, well, cook. However, with his position being one where heavy workloads often lead to injury, it would be nice to see another option emerge.
DL Ed Oliver
Greg Rousseau has been a menace, totaling six sacks, eight tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, and three forced fumbles through three games. Deone Walker has been incredible, as well, notching ten tackles and a sack to go with two tackles for loss and four QB hits. Now, if Oliver can start terrorizing opposing offenses the way he’s capable, as well? Look out. Oliver had just on tackle last week, but he notched three quarterback hits on Justin Herbert. That tied Rousseau for the team lead for the week. Oliver has six tackles, one tackle for loss, and four QB hits on the season. Facing off against a banged-up Patriots offensive line, he could do damage on Sunday. If he hits his stride, it’s going to make a formidable Buffalo pass rush that much stronger. Sunday could be a good day for Oliver to lasso a quarterback for the first time this season.
LB Dorian Williams
Let’s give a little love to the middle level of the defense, too. Dorian Williams leads the Bills in tackles with 24, and he’s been mostly excellent against the run this season. There are still some hiccups in the passing game, but last week as a step in the right direction as it relates to communication in coverage. Granted, the Chargers’ passing offense is well below league average, but New England’s passing attack is ranked just No. 19 this season. The Pats haven’t been nearly as effective in the early going of this season as they were last season, and as a result, I expect that their game plan on Sunday will be to establish the run, control the clock, and try to limit Josh Allen’s time with the football. Another solid day of thumping his run fits from No. 42 can help to torch that game plan quickly.
CB Davison Igbinosun
With Christian Benford (toe) unlikely to play this week, it’s going to fall on the rookie second-round pick to step up this weekend. After Benford went out of the gam last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, Igbinosun did just that, logging six tackles and a pass breakup across 30 snaps on defense. He didn’t look like a rookie at all, and he was impactful in both the passing game and the running game. New England’s offense might be struggling, but they have an excellent offensive game-planner in Josh McDaniels, and a quarterback in Drake Maye who is capable of turning surefire losses into big gains. Igbinosun is going to be tested against either Kayshon Boutte, Romeo Doubs, or Mack Hollins, but he has the physicality and the mindset to win in all three of those matchups. If he plays like he did in last week’s victory, it will be a big boost for Buffalo.
