Buffalo Rumblings
Five questions returns in full for Week 5, Rumblers! The Buffalo Bills are undefeated, and set to take on a 2-2 New England Patriots team that continues to turn some heads. The reality is that both teams have not faced the most difficult schedule through one month of play, aside from their respective AFC North matchups.
Bills-Patriots has seldom been a competitive rivalry in the 21st century — and really you’d have to go back to the pre-Super Bowl Bills era to find a more balanced rivalry period in their long history. Have things begun to shift for the Patriots, now that Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels are back, as head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively? Many of their fans feel that’s the case, especially with efficient and competent play by second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Is this the Bills’ toughest matchup of the season, even considering a fully healthy Baltimore Ravens team in Week 1? That may be a stretch, but divisional games are often difficult to gauge. One thing’s true: This is no longer the same post-Brady/Belichick Patriots of a few years back.
For tonight’s matchup, I spoke with Taylor Kyles of Pats Pulpit to get a better pulse on the current state of the Patriots. We cover lots of ground, from Maye in year two, to Stefon Diggs, and what to expect out of New England’s run game. Plus, we also touch on the best gameplan when facing the Patriots and how New England might pull off a big upset.
Read on below, for more from Taylor…
1. It appears the Patriots have found their present and future at quarterback in Drake Maye. In his second season, what’s been Maye’s biggest asset to New England’s offense?
There’s been a lot to like about Drake Maye in year two, but his mobility has been a real weapon for the Patriots this season. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has dialed up more moving pockets each week, which has taken pressure off the offensive line while creating opportunities for easy yardage. Opponents have also been hesitant to play man against New England because of Maye’s scrambling ability. The ground game doesn’t lean into read-option and designed keepers as much as McDaniels’ 2020 offense under Cam Newton, but we’ve seen sprinkles of zone read and counter bash (back away from pullers).
2. There was plenty of speculation regarding what version of Stefon Diggs’ the Patriots would find. Clearly, it’s the best one — a productive and motivated veteran. What stands out about Diggs’ on-field contributions and how he works with Maye?
Stefon Diggs has been a quality and reliable veteran at wide receiver, which Maye didn’t really have in his first season. Diggs’ precise routes, knowledge of when to settle against zone, and automatic hands have made him Maye’s favorite target alongside tight end Hunter Henry. Diggs was more of an underneath target in the first few games, but last week he had explosive gains on two crossers and a back shoulder...
