Game of the Week – Buffalo Bills (9-4) – New England Patriots (11-2)
There could be some serious debate about this week's big match. The Rams, the current No. 1 seed in the NFC, welcome the Lions, who finished first in the conference last season. The Denver Broncos, the AFC leaders, host the Green Bay Packers, who still have a chance to get a first-round bye in the NFC. Either way, you won't be disappointed. Only there is a third way: Buffalo vs. New England. On Sunday, the emphasis is on the rewards of victory rather than the dangers of defeat. The Patriots can reclaim the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while Buffalo can give itself a chance to snatch the AFC East title from New England. Oh, and two MVP candidates running the show are Drake May and Josh Allen. This could be a classic.
What the Bills need to do to win: Take care of football. In Week 5, the Patriots beat the Bills 23–20, or rather Buffalo gave their opponents the win with three costly turnovers. Allen and company saw the devastating effect of turnovers just last week against the Bengals, when a pair of Joe Burrow interceptions completely turned the game around in the snow, allowing the Bills to come back. If the Bills eliminate mistakes to increase their chances of getting into the red zone, they could take advantage of one of New England's weaknesses. The Patriots' opponents score a touchdown on 73.1 percent of their red zone trips, the highest in the league. NFL this season.
If Allen can last the distance, his ability to demolish New England with his arm or run will certainly improve those scoring chances. What should allow Buffalo to truly learn how to move the ball accurately is the way their defense has started to play thanks to Christian Benford. The cornerback is the first player in franchise history to score a defensive touchdown in consecutive games, while also throwing a punt and returning a fumble in the last two wins. If this does not inspire confidence, then nothing will happen.
What the Patriots need to do to win: Focus resources on containing Buffalo's running game. New England ranks third in rushing offense (89.5 yards per game). When they beat the Bills earlier this season, James Cook was only able to rush for 49 yards on 15 carries, his third-lowest total in 2025, and the Pats finished with 118 yards, their fourth-lowest on the floor on the team.
If the Patriots slow Cook down, it will put additional pressure on Allen against a stout Patriots defense. The stats aren't great, but New England's dominance in most games means opponents use them here, there and everywhere. Those frequent moments of desperation — the Patriots played pass protection on 60.8 percent of their plays, fifth-most in the NFL — skew the results. In more normal game conditions, the Patriots pass the defense better than the eye test. They'll be confident they can handle Buffalo's weak receiving corps if they get enough attention and Cook is taken out of the equation.
Rising (sort of) – Indianapolis Colts
After losing starting cornerback Daniel Jones to a torn Achilles this season, the Colts should be toast. They probably still are: their remaining roster includes four teams currently in the playoffs – the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars and Texans. There's also a small question about the man who could take the field in Jones' place on Sunday: 44-year-old grandfather and high school coach Philip Rivers, who the Colts have. pulled out of retirement to fill the gap. Rivers, if he plays, will almost certainly fail, but the Colts could use a touching story after the pain of losing Jones. Even if the feel-good narrative only lasts one frame, when Rivers passes it to Jonathan Taylor for a touchdown, the veteran briefly puts it all together.
Fall – Detroit Lions
This season, the Lions have a bad habit of following up a win with a loss. The yo-yo routine must stop for the team to have any chance of making the playoffs – they sit on the bubble at 8-5. Only the Lions haven't put together a winning streak since their 4-1 win over the Bengals, and the trip to Los Angeles to face the Rams is troubling. Los Angeles destroyed Arizona 45-17 last week. Dan Campbell's depleted defense, which just added key safety Brian Branch to the 10-player injured list, could help the Rams score again at will. The key for the Lions is that Chicago and San Francisco are one game ahead in the wild-card race to face Cleveland and Tennessee. The loss puts Detroit in a difficult position. However, there is still a glimmer of hope in the Week 18 meeting with the Bears. Praying for one loss to make up for lost time rather than two would be much more achievable.
Race for pick #1
Three horses are leading the race for the top pick in next year's draft: the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans. The bottom feeders are tied for a 2-11 record, with five others sitting just behind them at 3-10. The guide says the Giants and Raiders will likely battle as they share a seven-game losing streak, but it's not a battle fought by logic or conventional wisdom. It's a Salvador Dali-inspired fever dream in which wild, random victories for teams on life support occur at the most awkward moments… with the Browns favored. Yes, Tennessee is still the favorite to take the No. 1 pick despite last week's win. San Francisco's machine will take them down on Sunday as the 49ers pursue the Rams and Seahawks. The Raiders should stay on their toes after facing the Eagles (although who knows these days), while the “Giants” were able to easily deal with the “Commanders” and break into the cluster of teams with three victories.
If the season ended today…
AFK: 1) Denver 11-2; 2) New England 11-2; 3) Jacksonville 9-4; 4) Pittsburgh 7-6; 5) Los Angeles Chargers 9-4; 6) Buffalo 9-4; 7) Houston 8-5. Bubble: Indianapolis 8-5
NFC: 1) Los Angeles Rams 10-3; 2) Green Bay 9-3-1; 3) Philadelphia 8-5; 4) Carolina 7-6; 5) Seattle 10-3; 6) San Francisco 9-4; 7) Chicago 9-4. Bubble: Detroit 8-5
