Patriots vs. Bills Hinges on Josh Allen's Play

How the Bills play on offense will determine the outcome of this game. Specifically, it will come down to how well Josh Allen plays.

If he performs like he did in Week 16, picking New England apart through the air and demoralizing them with his legs, the Patriots can’t keep up on the other side of the ball. If he doesn’t, New England can play their game on offense.

The Patriots want to align in big personnel packages and force Buffalo’s defense out of Nickel (which it predominantly plays). Then they want to run the ball and mix in play-action. They can do that as long as the game stays close. If they get into a situation where they have to lean on the passing game, though, they’re in trouble. This is especially true given the expected weather conditions.

That said, the weather will impact both sides. And if it keeps the Bills’ passing game from operating at its highest level, the advantage swings in the Patriots’ favor for the reasons mentioned above.

To read our full breakdown of how Buffalo’s defense might approach New England in coverage, click here.

To read about how Josh Allen picked apart the Patriots in Week 16, click here.

Below, you can see how these teams match up on both sides of the ball:

Bills Offense vs. Patriots Defense

Patriots Offense vs. Bills Defense