Former Super Bowl MVP Faces Patriots For First Time With Bills

FOXBORO, Mass — The New England Patriots did not see a key defender for the Buffalo Bills in both of their losses to their divisional rivals last season.

On Sunday at Gillette Stadium, the Bills get to challenge the Patriots with a former Super Bowl MVP off the edge.

Von Miller missed both late-season games against New England during the 2022 season after suffering a torn ACL. Buffalo signed the former Denver Bronco to a six-year deal prior to last season and hope he can add another spark to the pass rush.

In seven career regular season games against the Patriots, Miller’s tallied five sacks and returned a fumble for a touchdown during a 2013 primetime matchup in which the Patriots overcame a 24-0 deficit. In the postseason, Miller wrecked another potential Super Bowl appearance for New England with an interception and 2 1/2 sacks as the Broncos beat the Patriots in the AFC Championship game for the second time in three seasons.

Miller won a second Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams during the 2021 season and returns to help vault Buffalo back on another playoff push.

The addition of Miller adds even more power to an already vaunted Bills front-seven that New England holds in high regard.

“Really good front, very disruptive up front,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick told reporters, per a team-issued transcript. “Best pass rush in the league, probably (the) most disruptive defensive lineman in the league – or certainly one of them, we haven’t seen them all.”

New England’s quarterback shared the same sentiment as Belichick when dissecting Buffalo’s defense.

“I (agree),” Mac Jones told reporters in Foxboro. “They have great players at each spot. In some teams, there might be a really good edge rusher or a really good inside person. They got everybody. Definitely a good group. Going to be a challenge for the offensive line and obviously just operating with the system of our offense.”

The Patriots will have their hands full on offense when they host the Bills at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.