This could be an ugly outing for both teams
The New England Patriots might be hard-pressed to get their offense back on track Sunday afternoon.
The weather conditions expected for the Patriots’ Week 8 matchup with the Bills are less than ideal. Rain and high winds are in the forecast in Buffalo, which could signal a low-scoring affair for this divisional tilt. The sloppy weather was a point of emphasis for ESPN’s bold prediction for Patriots-Bills.
“Punters Jake Bailey (Patriots) and Corey Bojorquez (Bills) will play defining roles in determining the final outcome,” Mike Reiss wrote. “Temperatures in Western New York are expected to be in the 40s, with a chance of rain and wind gusts possibly exceeding 20 mph. So ballhandling and field position will be critical. Bailey has been excellent this season — he’s the AFC leader in net punting at 47.9 yards — while Bojorquez has shown a powerful leg when the Bills are pinned deep (a long of 72 yards).”
At this rate, New England will take a victory any way it can get it. The Patriots enter Week 8 losers of three consecutive games, and a loss to the Bills effectively could nix Bill Belichick’s team’s chances of winning the AFC East title this season.