The New England Patriots can take home another AFC East crown with a victory over the Buffalo Bills, but this won’t be an easy win. The Bills are one of the NFL’s biggest surprises, featuring an elite defense and a developing Josh Allen. Sean McDermott and company put up a fight the first time these two teams met, so let’s take a look at some Patriots bold predictions heading into Week 16’s divisional showdown.
New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills Bold Predictions
Tom Brady Sets Passing Touchdown Record
For what feels like the millionth time, Tom Brady is knocking on the door of history. Brady came this close to matching Peyton Manning atop the all-time touchdown record list in Week 15, but ultimately couldn’t get the job done. Drew Brees, on the other hand, passed both Brady and Manning and currently owns the record with 541 touchdowns.
Brady’s going to need to throw four touchdowns to get the record, and by God he’s going to do it. The Buffalo Bills have an elite defense and have given Brady fits for the majority of the past two seasons. However, you can’t fool Brady forever, and the greatest quarterback of all time will add yet another accomplishment to his constantly-growing list of records.
N’Keal Harry Scores Two Touchdowns
If Brady is going to throw four touchdowns, somebody’s going to need to catch them. N’Keal Harry won’t haul in every touchdown, but he should get his hands on two of them. The first-round rookie had the best game of his career against the Cincinnati Bengals, recording two receptions for 15 yards and a touchdown to go along with two carries for 22 yards. The overall numbers are a little underwhelming, but the box score doesn’t tell the whole story. Brady and Harry connected on a beautiful deep pass, but the play didn’t count thanks to a Julian Edelman false start. Additionally, Harry and Brady almost connected on a dig route, but a defensive lineman got in the way of a throwing lane.
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N’Keal Harry isn’t a complete receiver by any means, but he can be a strong red zone presence and a true threat in the open field. Josh McDaniels is one of the best in the league at scheming guys open and should be able to get N’Keal Harry in space. Additionally, Harry appears to be gaining Brady’s trust, particularly in the red area. If McDaniels can scheme up some red zone plays for Harry like he did with Cordarrelle Patterson, or if Brady just chucks a few passes in Harry’s direction, then he should come away with a few touchdowns.
Rex Burkhead Rushes For 100 Yards
Last year at this point, the Patriots looked lost on offense and had just lost Josh Gordon for the year. In order to find a new identity on the fly, New England turned to Sony Michel and the Power-I formation. That plan isn’t going to work this year, as Michel needed an elite interior offensive line and James Develin to be effective. Michel’s preferred style of play is dependent upon good blocking, and the Patriots just can’t provide that this year.
Rex Burkhead is capable of making guys miss in space and appears to be the better option for early down carries. When healthy, Burkhead is easily the most elusive and dangerous runner in New England’s backfield. Last week, Burkhead recorded just six carries but managed to pick up 54 yards and a touchdown. As New England heads into their stretch run, they might try to see if they can replicate 2018’s success with Rex Burkhead.
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