What to Watch For: Patriots at Bills
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
What to Watch For: Patriots at Bills
The Bills started the season 0-2, but have since won four of their last five games, including a 16-0 win in New England during week four.
"They started off slow to begin the season but they got rolling after coming in here. The things that we knew they did well, they're continuing to do it. I think everyone knows they're going to run but they still go out there and run the football against everybody. That and trying to stop Tyrod Taylor is still a big task," said Patriots captain Devin McCourty in his press conference earlier this week.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe Patriots currently have a two game lead over Buffalo in the AFC East, and have not been swept by a division opponent in 15 years.
See what to watch for in the slideshow below
What to Watch For: Patriots at Bills
LeSean McCoy
The Patriots appear to be catching a break for the second week in a row as Bills running back LeSean McCoy is listed as doubtful on the Buffalo's Friday injury report with a hamstring injury. He has not been able to practice all week.
In the week four matchup with the Patriots, McCoy had 19 carries for 70 yards.
Without McCoy, the Bills feature Mike Gillislee and Reggie Bush.
Gillislee has 22 carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns on the season, while Bush has only carried the ball seven times for six yards in five games played this season.
Photo: Wikipedia
LeGarrette Blount
Blount is coming off a season high 127 yards rushing last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he could have another one this week.
The Bills are ranked 27th in the NFL in rushing defense, giving up an average of 125 yards per game.
Blount has rushed for at least 100 yards in three games so far this season.
Pass Rush
The Patriots set a franchise record for sacks last season, and this season they are ranked at the bottom of the league with only 11 sacks on the season.
Jabaal Sheard leads the Patriots with 3.5 sacks so far this season, but nobody else has more than two.
Buffalo has given up 17 sacks so far this season.
Ninkovich will have another game under his belt after returning from suspension, and Dont'a Hightower has been hot over the last two weeks. The Patriots will look to them to get to the quarterback.
Stephen Gostkowski
Gostkowski's rough stretch continued last week when he missed an extra point for the second straight week.
"I have a lot of faith in Stephen. He's a true professional and he's been doing this for a long time and it's not by accident that he has ended up in his 11th year with everything that he has accomplished," said special teams captain Matthew Slater earlier this week.
Gostkowski has now missed three field goals and two extra points so far this season and a total of seven kicks going back to the playoffs last season.
His extra point miss against the Steelers would have given the Patriots an eight point lead, 21-13, instead of just a seven point lead, 20-13.
Offensive Line
Buffalo's defensive line gets a boost this week with the return of defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and rookie defensive end Shaq Lawson, now in his second game back.
In his career, Dareus has racked up 30.5 sacks and 177 tackles.
"They can move them around but I think their fronts and their basic early down defenses - there's a lot of continuity there from week to week. But there's a lot of variety, too," said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick in his press conference earlier this season.
The Bills have 21 sacks so far this season.
