NFL Game Preview: Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots - Week 17

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Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots - Week 17

Game Preview Fantasy \| Game Notes \| Results & Schedule \| Injury Report \| Stat Comparisons \| Weather \| Team vs. Team History

WAS PHI	10 34
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TEN HOU	23 22
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SF STL	34 27
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NYJ MIA	17 19
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IND JAC	13 19
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DET GB	41 45
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BUF NE	21 49
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CHI MIN	17 13
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CAR NO	17 45
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BAL CIN	24 16
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TB ATL	24 45
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SEA ARI	20 23
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SD OAK	38 26
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PIT CLE	13 9
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KC DEN	7 3
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DAL NYG	14 31
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Week:	1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 \| 8 \| 9 \| 10 \| 11 \| 12 \| 13 \| 14 \| 15 \| 16 \| 17
Playoffs:	Wild-Card \| Divisional Playoffs \| Conference Championships \| Super Bowl

Final Score Prediction

Patriots 30, Bills 20

Fantasy Player Rankings and Projections by Mike Krueger

Buffalo Bills
Rank	Player	Projections
QB 21	Ryan Fitzpatrick	Pass: 240, 1 TD Rush: 0, 0
RB 4	C.J. Spiller	Rush: 80, 1 TD Rec: 5-40, 0
WR 12	Steve Johnson	Rec: 7-80, 1 TD
WR 55	David Nelson	Rec: 4-60, 0 TD
TE 25	Scott Chandler	Rec: 3-30, 0 TD
K 16	Brandon Coutu	FG: 2/2 XP: 2/2
DEF 30	Defense / ST

View all Week 17 Rankings or Projections

New England Patriots
Rank	Player	Projections
QB 2	Tom Brady	Pass: 320, 3 TD Rush: 0, 0
RB 37	Stevan Ridley	Rush: 40, 0 TD Rec: 3-20, 0
RB 43	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	Rush: 30, 0 TD Rec: 2-10, 0
RB 51	Danny Woodhead	Rush: 20, 0 TD Rec: 1-10, 0
WR 1	Wes Welker	Rec: 10-110, 1 TD
WR 74	Deion Branch	Rec: 3-30, 0 TD
TE 1	Rob Gronkowski	Rec: 6-80, 1 TD
TE 7	Aaron Hernandez	Rec: 5-60, 1 TD
K 1	Stephen Gostkowski	FG: 3/3 XP: 3/3
DEF 13	Defense / ST

Game Notes

Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (3,525) needs 175 passing yards to join DREW BLEDSOE (4,359 in '02) & HOFer JIM KELLY (3,844 in '91) as only Bills QBs to reach 3,700 in season. Had 369 passing yards in last game vs. NE, 2nd-most in NFL career... RB C.J. Spiller posted 1st 100-yard rushing game (111) last week. Spiller is averaging 6.1 yards per carry in past 4 in Dec. Has 3 rush TDs in past 4. WR Steve Johnson (964) needs 36 rec. yards to reach 1,000 for 2nd consecutive season (1,073 in '10). WR David Nelson had career-high 84 rec. yards in last game vs. Patriots... TE Scott Chandler (6) needs TD rec. to surpass PETE METZELAARS (6 in '92) & JAY RIEMERSMA (6 in '98) for most TD catches by TE in season in Bills history... Defense registered 4 INTs in last game vs. NE... Bills tied team record with 3 return TDs last week - PR-TD by Leodis McKelvin & INT-TD returns by Jairus Byrd & Spencer Johnson... LB Chris Kelsay has 3 sacks in past 2.

Patriots Aim for 11th straight win against Bills at home... NE averages AFC-best 30.9 points per game... QB Tom Brady (4,897) needs 103 passing yards to join DREW BREES (5,087 in'11; 5,069 in '08) & HOFer DAN MARINO (5,084 in '84) as only players to reach 5,000 in season. Brady (297) needs 3 TD passes to tie HOFer JOHN ELWAY (300) for 5th-most TD passes in NFL history. Brady aims for 12th consecutive win at home vs. AFC East. Has thrown at least 1 TD pass in 31 straight games... RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis (9) needs rush TD to record 10+ rush TDs in consecutive seasons (13 in '10)... WR Wes Welker (116; 123 in '09) needs 4 catches to join CRIS CARTER (122 in '94 & '95) as only players to have 120+ receptions twice in career. Welker aims to become 1st player to lead NFL in catches & receiving yards in season since ANDRE JOHNSON in '08... TE Rob Gronkowski (1,219) surpassed TE BEN COATES (1,174) for most rec. yards by TE in season in NE history. Has 5 TD catches in 3 career games vs. Bills... LB Rob Ninkovich has 5 sacks in past 6 games.

Results and Schedule

Buffalo Bills
Week	Date	Opp	H/A	Score	Dif
1	2011-09-11	KC	A	W 41-7	+34
2	2011-09-18	OAK	H	W 38-35	+3
3	2011-09-25	NE	H	W 34-31	+3
4	2011-10-02	CIN	A	L 20-23	-3
5	2011-10-09	PHI	H	W 31-24	+7
6	2011-10-16	NYG	A	L 24-27	-3
7		Bye
8	2011-10-30	WAS	H	W 23-0	+23
9	2011-11-06	NYJ	H	L 11-27	-16
10	2011-11-13	DAL	A	L 7-44	-37
11	2011-11-20	MIA	A	L 8-35	-27
12	2011-11-27	NYJ	A	L 24-28	-4
13	2011-12-04	TEN	H	L 17-23	-6
14	2011-12-11	SD	A	L 10-37	-27
15	2011-12-18	MIA	H	L 23-30	-7
16	2011-12-24	DEN	H	W 40-14	+26
17	2012-01-01	NE	A	L 21-49	-28

New England Patriots
Week	Date	Opp	H/A	Score	Dif
1	2011-09-12	MIA	A	W 38-24	+14
2	2011-09-18	SD	H	W 35-21	+14
3	2011-09-25	BUF	A	L 31-34	-3
4	2011-10-02	OAK	A	W 31-19	+12
5	2011-10-09	NYJ	H	W 30-21	+9
6	2011-10-16	DAL	H	W 20-16	+4
7		Bye
8	2011-10-30	PIT	A	L 17-25	-8
9	2011-11-06	NYG	H	L 20-24	-4
10	2011-11-13	NYJ	A	W 37-16	+21
11	2011-11-21	KC	H	W 34-3	+31
12	2011-11-27	PHI	A	W 38-20	+18
13	2011-12-04	IND	H	W 31-24	+7
14	2011-12-11	WAS	A	W 34-27	+7
15	2011-12-18	DEN	A	W 41-23	+18
16	2011-12-24	MIA	H	W 27-24	+3
17	2012-01-01	BUF	H	W 49-21	+28

Injury Report

Buffalo Bills
Out	OT Demetrius Bell (Knee) WR Brad Smith (Hamstring) OG Kraig Urbik (Knee)
Probable	WR Ruvell Martin (Hamstring) RB Johnny White (Concussion)
IR	WR Marcus Easley (Illness) RB Fred Jackson (Fractured Fibula) WR Donald Jones (Left Ankle) K Rian Lindell (Shoulder) CB Terrence McGee (Left Knee) OLB Shawne Merriman (Achilles) WR Roscoe Parrish (Left Ankle) K Dave Rayner (Left Groin) TE Lee Smith (Left Ankle) ILB Reggie Torbor (Shoulder) NT Torell Troup (Back) ILB Chris White (Knee) NT Kyle Williams (Left Foot) OC Eric Wood (Torn Right ACL)

New England Patriots
Out	OG Logan Mankins (Knee) OT Sebastian Vollmer (Back)
Questionable	CB Kyle Arrington (Foot) WR Deion Branch (Groin) SS Patrick Chung (Foot) OG Dan Connolly (Groin) WR Julian Edelman (Back) ILB Dane Fletcher (Thumb) DT Albert Haynesworth (Knee) FS James Ihedigbo (Shoulder) OT Matt Light (Ankle) CB Devin McCourty (Shoulder) OLB Rob Ninkovich (Hip) ILB Brandon Spikes (Knee) RB Shane Vereen (Hamstring) OG Brian Waters (Ankle) WR Wes Welker (Knee) OLB Tracy White (Abdomen)
Probable	QB Tom Brady (Not Injury Related)
IR	SS Josh Barrett (Calf) DE Andre Carter (Left Quadriceps) OLB Jermaine Cunningham (Hamstring) CB Ras-I Dowling (Hip) OC Dan Koppen (Fibula) OG Rich Ohrnberger (Head) NT Myron Pryor (Shoulder) DE Mike Wright (Concussion)

Offense Stats Comparison

	BUF Offense	NE Offense	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Points for	18.5	34.3	22.1	NE
Rushing yards	99.8	110.8	118.8	NE
Rushing yards per attempt	4.38	3.70	4.25	BUF
Completion %	57.1%	64.8%	59.7%	NE
Passing yards	232.3	309.0	224.3	NE
Passing yards per completion	10.26	12.94	11.31	NE
Passing yards per attempt	5.85	8.39	6.75	NE
Interceptions	1.3	0.0	1.0	NE
Fumbles lost	0.0	0.0	0.6	-
Sacks allowed	1.8	1.8	2.4	-
3rd down conversions	24.7%	45.3%	36.9%	NE
4th down conversions	30.0%	80.0%	42.0%	NE
Time of possession	30:15	29:16	30:13	BUF

Defense Stats Comparison

	BUF Defense	NE Defense	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Points against	29.0	22.8	22.1	NE
Rushing yards	152.0	128.8	118.8	NE
Rushing yards per attempt	4.93	5.00	4.25	BUF
Completion %	58.0%	60.5%	59.7%	BUF
Passing yards	168.3	273.3	224.3	BUF
Passing yards per completion	10.84	12.81	11.31	BUF
Passing yards per attempt	6.29	7.75	6.75	BUF
INT return	0.3	1.0	1.0	NE
Fumble recoveries	0.8	0.8	0.6	-
Sacks	1.5	2.8	2.4	NE
3rd down conversions	33.8%	45.6%	36.9%	BUF
4th down conversions	71.4%	33.3%	42.0%	NE
Time of possession	29:46	30:45	30:13	BUF

Special Teams Stats Comparison

	BUF	NE	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Yards per punt return	18.3	11.3	9.9	BUF
Yards per kick return	25.2	22.1	23.9	BUF
Yards allowed per punt return	12.6	13.4	9.9	BUF
Yards allowed per kick return	19.3	18.9	23.9	NE

Misc Stats Comparison

	BUF	NE	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Penalties	5.5	3.5	6.3	NE
Penalty yards	49.0	29.3	53.0	NE

Note: Team statistics are shown as the average per game through Weeks 11 to 16 of the 2011 season after deducting the best and worst value from the data set. The exception is yards per rush attempt, completion %, yards per pass completion, yards per pass attempt, 3rd and 4th down conversions, special teams and the NFL averages, which are each calculated based on totals through Weeks 11 to 16 with no adjustment.

Weather

Team vs. Team History

Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots
Season	Week	Date	Vis	Home	Score	Winner
2000	10	2000-11-05	BUF	NE	16-13	BUF
2000	16	2000-12-17	NE	BUF	13-10	NE
2001	9	2001-11-11	BUF	NE	11-21	NE
2001	14	2001-12-16	NE	BUF	12-9	NE
2002	9	2002-11-03	NE	BUF	38-7	NE
2002	14	2002-12-08	BUF	NE	17-27	NE
2003	1	2003-09-07	NE	BUF	0-31	BUF
2003	17	2003-12-27	BUF	NE	0-31	NE
2004	4	2004-10-03	NE	BUF	31-17	NE
2004	10	2004-11-14	BUF	NE	6-29	NE
2005	8	2005-10-30	BUF	NE	16-21	NE
2005	14	2005-12-11	NE	BUF	35-7	NE
2006	1	2006-09-10	BUF	NE	17-19	NE
2006	7	2006-10-22	NE	BUF	28-6	NE
2007	3	2007-09-23	BUF	NE	7-38	NE
2007	11	2007-11-18	NE	BUF	56-10	NE
2008	10	2008-11-09	BUF	NE	10-20	NE
2008	17	2008-12-28	NE	BUF	13-0	NE
2009	1	2009-09-14	BUF	NE	24-25	NE
2009	15	2009-12-20	NE	BUF	17-10	NE
2010	3	2010-09-26	BUF	NE	30-38	NE
2010	16	2010-12-26	NE	BUF	34-3	NE
2011	3	2011-09-25	NE	BUF	31-34	BUF

Note: Only playoff games from the 2004 to 2010 seasons are included in the team vs. team history. Playoff games from seasons prior to 2004 are not currently included in the database.