Ian Eagle, Charles Davis. and Evan Washburn will be on the call for what has the potential to be a changing of the guard in the AFC East. Earlier in the week, quarterback Cam Newton called New England's upcoming matchup with the Buffalo Bills at Orchard Park a "must win" and he couldn't have been more accurate with his assessment of the magnitude of this game for his club.
The Patriots have struggled to begin 2020, entering Week 8 with a 2-4 record and in third place in the division. A loss to the first-place Bills would not only boot them from any serious playoff aspirations, but it could trigger a total reset by the club with the trade deadline just days away. As for the Bills, this is an opportunity for them to finally put away New England and show that they are the new team to beat in the division, spearheaded by quarterback Josh Allen. A win here would also put them on the fast track of winning their first AFC East title since 1995.
As big as Week 8 games can get, Sunday's contest sure has a lot of weight to it.
How to watch
Date: Sunday, Nov. 1 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Bills Stadium (Orchard Park, NY)
TV: CBS | Stream: CBS All Access
Follow: CBS Sports App
Preview
New England has struggled in multiple areas this season, but none more apparent than the passing game. Heading into Week 8, the Patriots have thrown for the second-fewest yards in the league (1,261), the least amount of passing touchdowns (three) and a league-high 11 interceptions. You could argue that the unit hit rock-bottom last week against the 49ers when Cam Newton was benched in the second half after throwing for just 98 yards and three interceptions. While Newton's inefficiency is unquestionably a key reason why New England is struggling, he's not alone. The Patriots pass catchers have done next to nothing to help him break out of his funk. This year, Pats wide receivers rank 27th in receptions, 29th in receiving yards, and dead last in the NFL in touchdown receptions. To make matters worse, the unit will be without Julian Edelman for the foreseeable future after undergoing a procedure on his knee. Defensively, the Patriots have taken a step back from the top-three unit they were a year ago. Now, opponents have been able to put up points, especially when they commit to running the ball where New England ranks 27th in the league.
The Bills, meanwhile, saw Josh Allen start the year off extremely hot, but the emerging quarterback has cooled down in recent weeks. After an opening four games where he averaged 331.5 passing yards per game on a 70.95 completion percentage to go along with 12 touchdowns and just one pick, Allen's totals have dipped. Coming into Sunday's contest, Allen owns a 63.06 completion percentage and has thrown for just 692 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions over the past three games. To help cushion that cooldown against New England, the Bills will need to run the ball with better efficiency with Devin Singletary and rookie Zack Moss. As evidence from the 49ers' 197-yard and four-touchdown rushing performance in Week 7, the Patriots defense can be run on. Buffalo simply needs to capitalize on it.
Prediction
While I don't think that anyone would argue that Buffalo isn't currently the superior team, I do think that the Patriots are catching them at the right time. Josh Allen is starting to cool off, their defense isn't as sturdy as it's been in the past, and there will be no fans in the stands for what otherwise would be a House of Horrors for Bill Belichick and company at Bills Stadium. I foresee the Patriots coming out extremely desperate and exposing one key weakness that the Bills have: stopping the run. According to Football Outsiders, Buffalo's run defense efficiency ranks just 26th in the NFL, right below the Patriots. With a quarterback like Cam Newton, who has shown his ability to do damage on the ground, along with emerging second-year back Damien Harris, New England has the horses to attack this weakness, pull off the upset and live to fight another day. As for what the rest of our CBS Sports experts think, click here.
Score: New England 24, Buffalo 17
