12/14/2025 GAMEDAY Bills at Patriots 1:00pm Gameday Thread AFCE Battle

[atlbillsfan1975]

6 minutes ago, H2o said:

And I know Bernard is listed as questionable, but, for the love of God Sean, PLEASE keep Thompson in @ MLB. 

He just needs to be on the field. If Bernard’s ankle is healed and he can move, and the arm won’t limit him getting off blocks, play Bernard at MLB and Thompson at WIL. Sprinkle in Milano and then use Williams as the spy in obvious passing downs. 
 

Pressure is all on NE. After listening to Sal talk about how NE is treating this game, it’s going to be a tough victory. NE views this as a return of dominance. A “passing of the torch”. Time for the Bills to step up and say, “not today”. Pats may still win the East, but don’t let them beat you to do it. 
 

Go Bills! 

Edited 9 hours ago by atlbillsfan1975

[H2o]

1 minute ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

He just needs to be on the field. If Bernard’s ankle is healed and he can move, and the arm won’t limit him getting off blocks, play Bernard at MLB and Thompson at WIL. Sprinkle in Milano and then use Williams as the spy in obvious passing downs. 

This run defense has been markedly better since Thompson has been manning the Mike LB position. He needs to stay there. 

[atlbillsfan1975]

Just now, H2o said:

This run defense has been markedly better since Thompson has been manning the Mike LB position. He needs to stay there. 

I hear you. I just don’t see McD keeping a healthy captain off the field. I am offering a solution which puts arguably the two best LB’s on the field in positions they can both play at a high level. 

[BearNorth]

11 minutes ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

I hear you. I just don’t see McD keeping a healthy captain off the field. I am offering a solution which puts arguably the two best LB’s on the field in positions they can both play at a high level. 

These teams spend a lot of money grading players, hiring people to work the analytics etc.  Those analytics and the eye test show there is such a large gap between Bernard [73 of 86 lb] & Milano [83 of 86 lb] vs. Thompson [5 of 86 lb] this season, just puzzled why you wouldn't put your best lineup on the field in such a HUGE game.

[CNYfan]

Big game today, not backsliding - keep the momentum, Big game.  Go Bills!!

[Casey D]

It feels kind of good to have a reason to hate the Pats again.  Like an old flame.  Go Bills!!!

[atlbillsfan1975]

8 minutes ago, BearNorth said:

These teams spend a lot of money grading players, hiring people to work the analytics etc.  Those analytics and the eye test show there is such a large gap between Bernard [73 of 86 lb] & Milano [83 of 86 lb] vs. Thompson [5 of 86 lb] this season, just puzzled why you wouldn't put your best lineup on the field in such a HUGE game.

I agree. Bernard at MLB and Thompson at WIL makes the most sense, if Bernard is healthy. Only one player on D can have the green dot, usually it is the MLB so it comes down to Bernard or Thompson. 

[Bills!Win!]

I haven’t felt this tingle in my stomach since the afc championship game. I accept the logic of not winning the division, it just CANT be today 

Edited 9 hours ago by Bills!Win!

[WotAGuy]

1 hour ago, Kelly to Allen said:

Bills wrs know where they're going

 

 And with Brady’s scheme, so does every defense in the league.  Heyyyyy-ooooo!

 

[NewEra]

15 minutes ago, Casey D said:

It feels kind of good to have a reason to hate the Pats again.  Like an old flame.  Go Bills!!!

I agree.  The patriots being good again makes the regular season much more exciting.  

[yall]

Some kinda fire at the new stadium this morning. I have a couple pics, but too big to post. When I get home I'll put one up if others haven't already. 

 

Hopefully not an omen for today.

 

Edit: I should mention it looks like maybe equipment, possibly a generator, and it think it's under control.

 

Maybe just an omen for the first half... 😂 

Edited 8 hours ago by yall

[finn]

I have a hunch this is the game where McDermott shows the rest of the league how to defend Maye, which will serve to deflate some of the hype now reaching comical levels. But it's not just Maye he is up against; it's also McDaniels, just like he has to figure out both Mahomes and Reid when they play KC. I read an all-22 analysis somewhere that Maye tends to lock into his first read but it works because McDaniels schemes the receiver open. Sound familiar? (Meanwhile, Brady's version of scheming a player open is a screen to Shakir. Catch 'em by surprise, cap!)

 

The same analysis noted that when hurried, Maye tends to throw high and off target. So one formula is to show one look then switch to another (a McDermott strength), mix up the rush, such as sending Milano or Bishop (Hamlin being unavailable :/), and watching Maye's eyes, or at least his head, since he evidently hasn't learned to look off yet. Facing an inexperienced rookie, a washed veteran, and a practice-squad callup at corner, Maye will still be able to move the ball, but maybe McDermott can avoid another embarrassment like last week, when Burrow was playing pitch and catch with Higgins all day. (Not blaming the secondary; Burrow was a machine.)

 

On the other side of the ball, I'm guessing Vrabel will simply stack the box and assign a spy on Allen (I would), thus shutting down the two most potent parts of the Bills offense, and take his chances with the weakest part, his wide receivers. (Hell, let them run open, what harm will they do, cute little fellas?) Tight end is the wild card, along with Cook and Ty in the pass game. My worry here is that Brady won't adjust and will keep running Cook into the stacked box, throwing screens to Shakir (one is bound to be a pick-six soon), and doing his WR-mesh thing on third and long. Then, when he's down 17-3, abandoning the run and depending entirely on his all-star receiving corps. 

 

But I don't think that'll happen. Or at least I really, really don't want to happen, since I have to watch the game at a local bar surrounded by Pats fans. 🥺

[BuffaloBillyG]

This has been a very good year for the Patriots. Can't deny that. Every year we see a team or two really flash. Last year for a huge chunk of the season, that was Minnesota.  New England has done a fantastic job in winning the games the SHOULD win, outside of the week 1 loss to the Raiders. But today we will see if they can win when they HAVE to win. 

 

They have caught some breaks this year both in terms of who the played and when they played them. Like playing the Bengals without Burrow or Chase. While they have not had a juggernaut of a schedule, they have still won 10 games in a row and that doesn't happen by accident in the NFL. 

 

Playing for the division at home against the defending AFCE champs...they are going to come out pumped. If we can survive they opening quarter of emotions and still be in it we have an excellent chance to win.

Edited 8 hours ago by BuffaloBillyG

[Psautcsk]

13 minutes ago, finn said:

I have a hunch this is the game where McDermott shows the rest of the league how to defend Maye, which will serve to deflate some of the hype now reaching comical levels. But it's not just Maye he is up against; it's also McDaniels, just like he has to figure out both Mahomes and Reid when they play KC. I read an all-22 analysis somewhere that Maye tends to lock into his first read but it works because McDaniels schemes the receiver open. Sound familiar? (Meanwhile, Brady's version of scheming a player open is a screen to Shakir. Catch 'em by surprise, cap!)

 

The same analysis noted that when hurried, Maye tends to throw high and off target. So one formula is to show one look then switch to another (a McDermott strength), mix up the rush, such as sending Milano or Bishop (Hamlin being unavailable :/), and watching Maye's eyes, or at least his head, since he evidently hasn't learned to look off yet. Facing an inexperienced rookie, a washed veteran, and a practice-squad callup at corner, Maye will still be able to move the ball, but maybe McDermott can avoid another embarrassment like last week, when Burrow was playing pitch and catch with Higgins all day. (Not blaming the secondary; Burrow was a machine.)

 

On the other side of the ball, I'm guessing Vrabel will simply stack the box and assign a spy on Allen (I would), thus shutting down the two most potent parts of the Bills offense, and take his chances with the weakest part, his wide receivers. (Hell, let them run open, what harm will they do, cute little fellas?) Tight end is the wild card, along with Cook and Ty in the pass game. My worry here is that Brady won't adjust and will keep running Cook into the stacked box, throwing screens to Shakir (one is bound to be a pick-six soon), and doing his WR-mesh thing on third and long. Then, when he's down 17-3, abandoning the run and depending entirely on his all-star receiving corps. 

 

But I don't think that'll happen. Or at least I really, really don't want to happen, since I have to watch the game at a local bar surrounded by Pats fans. 🥺

The Pats will definitely try to shut down the run (who wouldn't). They have had 2 weeks to plan on how to do it and there was video with them doing it in practice. I think it will be a very frustrating day for Josh and the offense but I hope that I am wrong. I cannot see much that the Bills can do to stop the Pats offense other than hold them to field goals in the red zone. They should be able to move the ball at will. The Pats return game on special teams is really good as well. I will be very surprised if the Bills win. I feel your pain of being surrounded be Pats "fans". Go Bills!

Edited 8 hours ago by Psautcsk

[stosh64]

17 minutes ago, yall said:

Some kinda fire at the new stadium this morning. I have a couple pics, but too big to post. When I get home I'll put one up if others haven't already. 

 

Hopefully not an omen for today.

 

Edit: I should mention it looks like maybe equipment, possibly a generator, and it think it's under control.

 

Maybe just an omen for the first half... 😂 

@8:02 black smoke starts. 

 

[stevewin]

21 minutes ago, yall said:

Some kinda fire at the new stadium this morning. I have a couple pics, but too big to post. When I get home I'll put one up if others haven't already. 

 

Hopefully not an omen for today.

 

Edit: I should mention it looks like maybe equipment, possibly a generator, and it think it's under control.

 

Maybe just an omen for the first half... 😂 

All good - Generator sacrificing itself to The Pit

 

Bills by a Billion

[boyst]

The thing that interests me is that Bills have nothing to lose in this game and no pressure. They're in the playoffs & they know it. They know that January resets everything.

 

The Patriots want to be the king, want to win the East... They gotta prove it here. Can they hold up to the pressure?  

 

If the Bills win today the Bills will just keep playing football until the playoffs. They know it helps in the AFCE but they have been here over many years.

 

If the Patriots lose they'll have slipped, lost a game after Meatheads bye & be one step closer to losing the AFCE and more pressure.

 

The Bills have nothing to lose and that both scares me and excites me. They'll play more relaxed.

 

I expect the Bills to win in strong fashion because they're getting hot. I think the Patriots need to lose a game now before the playoffs to start that hot streak they'll need to make a run. 

 

It'll be interesting. 

[PromoTheRobot]

Steady light snow all night. I'm about 80 miles north of Foxboro and we have 2" in NH. Supposed to be heavier south of Boston and will last until 2-2:30pm 

[stevewin]

8 minutes ago, stosh64 said:

@8:02 black smoke starts. 

 

Confirming wind seems confused 

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, boyst said:

The thing that interests me is that Bills have nothing to lose in this game and no pressure. They're in the playoffs & they know it. They know that January resets everything.

 

The Patriots want to be the king, want to win the East... They gotta prove it here. Can they hold up to the pressure?  

 

If the Bills win today the Bills will just keep playing football until the playoffs. They know it helps in the AFCE but they have been here over many years.

 

If the Patriots lose they'll have slipped, lost a game after Meatheads bye & be one step closer to losing the AFCE and more pressure.

 

The Bills have nothing to lose and that both scares me and excites me. They'll play more relaxed.

 

I expect the Bills to win in strong fashion because they're getting hot. I think the Patriots need to lose a game now before the playoffs to start that hot streak they'll need to make a run. 

 

It'll be interesting. 

 

Pats want to shove it up our bungholes by taking the East from us today on their field. They might win it eventually but let's not give it to them today.

Edited 5 hours ago by PromoTheRobot