The New England Patriots have had a rough start to the season, particularly on offense. Despite their first win in a defensive brawl in Week 2 against the Steelers, Week 3 saw them regress well below average, scoring a season-low six points in a 35-6 trouncing against the Jaguars.
The 3-0 Bills host New England this Sunday, a team led by MVP frontrunner Josh Allen. He's totaled 11 touchdowns in only three games, while the Bills averaged 33.7 PPG in September. Beyond Allen's spectacular performances, Dalton Kincaid has emerged as one of the premier pass-catchers in football, while DJ Moore has looked comfortable early on.
The Bills' offensive line and defense have also been solid, as Jim Leonard's unit held the Mike McDaniel and Justin Herbert-led offense to just 16 points last week.
Containing James Cook should be among the team's top priorities
While keeping Allen, Kincaid, and Moore quiet is easier said than done, James Cook has also been on a tear. Through three games, he's averaging over 115 rushing yards per game while maintaining a 6.0 YPC average.
The Patriots split with Buffalo last season, and Cook ran for over 1,600 yards. In the teams' first matchup in Week 5, Cook was held to 49 rushing yards and 3.3 YPC, as the Bills managed 20 points: a far cry from their 33.3 per game over the first month of football.
Comparatively, Cook eclipsed 100 rushing yards on 4.9 YPC and scored three total touchdowns in the rematch, in which the Patriots blew a 21-0 first-half lead and collapsed 35-31.
The team will have Milton Williams and Robert Spillane this time around, a pair of players who were sorely missed in last season's loss. Instead, a different pair of starters will miss the matchup: Christian Barmore and Christian Gonzalez.
The absence of the Christians will create its own issues, but Dre'Mont Jones should help the Patriots keep Cook from running rampant.
It goes without saying that the offense will need to score far more than they have so far this season if they have any chance of beating the Bills. Nonetheless, the defense will be equally as key to the Patriots' success on Sunday, particularly their ability to contain Cook.
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