The Patriots gained 104 rushing yards on 29 carries during their 42-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers last week. There’s no reason to believe New England can’t have similar success on the ground when it takes on the Buffalo Bills this Sunday.
Even though the Bills have achieved an impressive 4-0 record, their team still shows noticeable weaknesses, particularly in run defense.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Bills currently rank 29th in run defense, making them the weakest rush defense the Patriots have faced this season.
In contrast, the Miami Dolphins, whom New England faced in Week 2, rank 28th in run defense. In that matchup, the Patriots rushed for 122 yards on 29 carries and secured a tight 33-27 victory.
The Bills have missed two of their top run defenders in recent games. An ankle injury has kept defensive tackle Ed Oliver out of the last three contests, while a pectoral injury has sidelined linebacker Matt Milano for the previous two games.
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Buffalo has marked Oliver and Milano as questionable for Sunday’s game. Even if they suit up, they are unlikely to be at their best, which could give the Patriots an advantage.
If New England wants to achieve success on the ground this Sunday, it needs to keep the game close. If the Patriots fall behind by two scores early, they may abandon the running game and force quarterback Drake Maye to pass the ball over 40 times, similar to what happened in their Week 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
