Saturday's Game vs. Bills is Important in More Ways Than One for Patriots

Yes - the division title is on the line in Week 16 for the Patriots. But their game against the Bills will tells us much more than who the division champion is.

When the New England Patriots take on the Buffalo Bills Saturday afternoon, for the first  time in a long time there will be a division title on the line in Foxboro. 

Since losing to the Patriots back in Week 4, the Bills have gone 7-3 and won double-digit games in the regular season for the first time since 1999. Buffalo not only has clinched a playoff berth, but they also have a chance at winning the AFC East. 

If the Patriots win their Week 16 game - they win the division. If Buffalo wins the game, they must win out and New England would have to lose their Week 17 game against the Dolphins for the Bills to win the division. Because of that, players in both locker rooms are viewing Saturday afternoon's game like a playoff game, as both teams have playoff-caliber rosters and the outcome of the game could have an impact on the AFC playoff seedings and the division title. 

But aside from divisional and postseason implications, the outcome of the Week 16 game   will tell us a lot about New England and their standalone value. 

Over the past five weeks the Patriots have lost two games, mainly because of their inability to move the ball consistently on offense and put points on the board. Though they have shown a concerted effort to find different ways to get everyone involved on offense, a lack of overall rhythm, along with some key injuries make it seem like Tom Brady and company may not improve much going forward as the regular season comes to a close. 

Going against a top-ranked Buffalo defense that allowed only 16 points to New England back in Week 4, the Patriots need to bring their A-game in terms of production and creativity if they want to beat a red-hot Bills team. As you can imagine, Buffalo, who hasn't won a division title since 1995, has a lot to prove heading into a game at Gillette Stadium in which they are 6.5-point underdogs. 

If Brady and the offense can finally get in sync, show some explosion and an ability to put points on the board, it will show everyone that they have what it takes to move the ball against any opponent they may face in the postseason. Buffalo has one the best defenses out of any team that currently holds a playoff spot in the AFC, aside from the Patriots, so getting in the end zone multiple times will be very telling of how New England will perform at the turn of the new year. 

However, if the Patriots' offense can't produce, which unfortunately seems like the likelier scenario of the two given their performances as of late, then it may foreshadow an end to their season in January rather than a typical push into February. 

Doing much of the same as they did last week against the Bengals, such as drawing up plays for N'Keal Harry, using Rex Burkhead and James White out of the backfield more often, not turning the ball over, and, of course, playing great defense, should help get the Patriots their 12th win of the season. Finding success with those things will also strengthen their chances of another playoff appearance. 

Week 16 marks a do-or-die situation for New England. How the Patriots respond to the challenge could determine how fit they are for an extended playoff run this season.