Patriots Avoid Game-Wrecking Bills Defender In AFC East Battle

FOXBORO, Mass. -- The New England Patriots face a capable defense on Sunday within the AFC East as the Buffalo Bills visit Gillette Stadium.

As the New England offense looks to improve on recent contests, the Patriots will not see a key Buffalo defender at the line of scrimmage.

Bills defensive lineman Ed Oliver is inactive with a toe injury.

Oliver was ruled out days after Patriots head coach Bill Belichick praised the fifth-year defender as one of the toughest to game plan for up front as an offense.

"Best pass rush in the league, probably most disruptive defensive lineman in the league -- or certainly one of them, we haven't seen them all, but put Oliver up there," Belichick told reporters in Foxboro on Wednesday, per a team-provided transcript.

Oliver tallied four sacks and a forced fumble in six games so far in 2023. Even without the 2019 first-round pick, the Patriots will have their hands full with a legitimate Buffalo pass rush coming after Mac Jones.

The Patriots seek their first win over the Bills since 2021 and their first home victory over Buffalo since an AFC East-clinching win in Week 16 of the 2019 season, which also marked Tom Brady's final home win with New England.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.