The Patriots are in the middle of preparing for their toughest matchup of the 2025 season so far, when they head to Buffalo for a primetime game against the Bills on Sunday. It will be a big test to see how they fare against some of the best talent in the league, and the team that has reigned supreme in the AFC East over the last five years.
They are fortunate to have a rising star quarterback in Drake Maye, as well as the return of Christian Gonzalez to the secondary. Not to mention, Stefon Diggs just recorded the best game of his Patriots tenure by totaling 101 yards against the Panthers last week.
The unfortunate part, however, is that the Bills have now regained some of their best defensive help just days before their Week 5 contest, as DT Ed Oliver and LB Matt Milano were back at practice on Wednesday, providing Buffalo with substantial reinforcements against the run before facing off against a Patriots team with a well-equipped backfield.
Notable injury news in Buffalo. They’ve missed Oliver and Milano, especially against the run. https://t.co/cZYJXjE41P
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) October 1, 2025
That's not exactly the news New England was hoping to see before such a pivotal game.
The Patriots offense will have a tougher time against the Bills' defense in Week 5
In the first four games of the season, the Patriots have relied upon their run game with Rhamondre Stevenson remaining the starter, despite his fumbling issues continuing to linger. With that seemingly behind them, at least last week, it's assumed they will continue to utilize the running backs moving forward, even more so with rookie TreVeyon Henderson scoring his first touchdown against the Panthers last week.
That will be a bit more difficult against the Bills now that they have two of their best run defenders back in the lineup.
It will require another solid game from the offensive line, who have impressed in the early part of the season, especially with two rookies in the lineup, and an even more steady performance from the running backs in general, but particularly with ball security.
In Week 3, that wasn't the case, with Stevenson and Antonio Gibson fumbling three times, which was only worsened with Drake Maye's strip sack and interception. The five turnovers put the team in a hole they couldn't get out of against a team that had no reason to win, and that simply cannot happen against the Bills if they want a chance to steal a W.
It will have to be a point of emphasis at practice this week, and maintaining a turnover-free game wil be key to their success against a tough divisional foe, even more so with Oliver and Milano back on the field.