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Patriots: Ranking the 2019 regular season opponents

By Patrick Morgan

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 03: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots makes a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 03: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots makes a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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ORCHARD PARK, NY – OCTOBER 29: Derek Anderson #3 of the Buffalo Bills passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots at New Era Field on October 29, 2018 in Orchard Park, New York. New England defeats Buffalo 25-6. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – OCTOBER 29: Derek Anderson #3 of the Buffalo Bills passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots at New Era Field on October 29, 2018 in Orchard Park, New York. New England defeats Buffalo 25-6. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

6. Buffalo Bills (AWAY)

The last time the Patriots faced the Bills in Orchard Park, they defeated Buffalo by a final score of 25-6. That might sound like a convincing beatdown, but it actually doesn’t paint the full picture of how that game unfolded.

The score was only 9-3 Patriots at the half. After three quarters, it was still just a one-score game (12-6). If not for a late James White touchdown in the fourth, and then a game-sealing pick-six from Devin McCourty, the Patriots very well might have fallen to the Bills and ended the 2018 season with a 2-6 road record instead of 3-5.

Keep in mind: Josh Allen didn’t start for the Bills because of injury; Derek Anderson did. Anderson was retired and playing golf when he got the phone call to put on his cleats and take the field for Buffalo. It’s fair to assume that this game might have been even more competitive than it already was had Allen been healthy enough to play.

As stated earlier, we expect the Bills to leapfrog the Dolphins and finish the 2019 season as the Patriots’ closest competition in the AFC East. While that doesn’t mean they’re going to usurp New England next year, it could very easily mean a season series split.

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