New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills: Christian Barmore Among ‘3 To Watch’
The New England Patriots will attempt to make their mark in the win column for the second straight week on New Year’s Eve against the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium.
Sunday’s game will mark the second and final meeting of the season between the two division rivals. The Patriots beat Buffalo, 29-25, at Gillette Stadium in Week 7 and will be looking for a series sweep of the Bills for the first time since 2019.
The Patriots (4-11) enter this game on the heels of a 26-23 victory over the Denver Broncos while the Bills (9-6) also earned a close 24-22 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Though many Patriots players are expected to garner some attention during Sunday’s matchup, here are three players that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats take the field against the Bills.
Christian Barmore
Despite the numerous injuries plaguing the Pats defense in 2023, Barmore has emerged as a true force in their front seven. The third-year Alabama product has compiled 48 total tackles (11, for loss) 15 quarterback hits, 8.5 sacks, six passes-defensed and a forced fumble.
New England Patriots DT Christian Barmore
Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire
During their previous meeting with Buffalo, New England used Barmore in big nickel packages featuring fellow Crimson Tide alum Anfernee Jennings at outside linebacker. The third-year tackle logged three tackles (one for loss), a pass breakup and combined for a sack, which dropped Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen for a seven-yard loss. In total, New England generated pressures on nearly half of Allen's drop backs [including blitzing him on approximately 43 percent] with a focus on challenging the Buffalo's All-Pro through the middle. The strategy was successful as New England's front seven hurried Allen 18 times. If the Pats are hopeful to find similar success on Sunday, Barmore must remain a key part of their defensive attack.
DeMario Douglas
Though New England’s defense has produced few bright spots this season, Douglas is having one of the best rookie seasons for a Pats receiver in team history. The 23-year-old has compiled 44 receptions for 517 yards, while averaging 11.8 yards-per-catch in 12 games this season.
Douglas was particularly effective during New England’s Week 7 won over the Bills, having caught four passes for 54 yards, including a 19-yard strike down the seam in the fourth quarter. The Pats sixth-rounder was not only productive as a pass catcher, but he also returned a punt for 25 yards and added a rushing carry for 20 yards. was most effective out of the slot in short yardage. In order to compensate for the expected height differential with Buffalo's defensive backs, Douglas showed an ability to anticipate his defenders' techniques for attacking him, especially when they played him in soft coverage — a strategy which has served him well back to his college days. Douglas also demonstrated the necessary speed and skill to evade tacklers when he has the ball in his hands in open space. With veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster out for the remainder of the season, Douglas will look to recapture the prowess from his previous performance against the Bills as New England’s primary option out of the slot.
Atonio Mafi
The loss of starting left guard Cole Strange has thrust Mafi into the the spotlight on the left interior of the Patriots offensive line. While the rookie has notable struggled at times, he has flashed an ability to sustain his blocks, while maintaining solid balance. Though his hand placement can be an issue in protection, Mafi can use his size (6-3, 329 pounds,) and skill set to be productive in New England’s power-run sets to clear space for running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Kevin Harris.
Still, the UCLA product will face perhaps his toughest test on Sunday when matched against Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver. While Mafi has difficulty with changing direction, Oliver thrives when moving laterally. He is also known for his explosive first step. The Bills tackle has logged 10 sacks and 59 quarterback pressures to date. In short, the Pats’ fifth-rounder will have a tough time matching his counterpart’s experience and athleticism. If Oliver routinely wins his battles against Mafi on Sunday, quarterback Bailey Zappe may be in for a pressure-packed New Year’s Eve in Western New York.
