5 things you need to know about Bills vs. Patriots in Week 5

For the third straight week and the fourth time in five games, the Buffalo Bills are at home. For the third time this season. Sean McDermott’s team is in the prime time spotlight.

The AFC East leaders are coming off a hard-earned 31-19 victory over the winless New Orleans Saints. The Bills have won their first four games for the first time since 2020, and are seeking their first 5-0 start since 1991—the franchise’s second Super Bowl campaign.

It doesn’t figure to be easy against an improved New England Patriots’ club that has split its first four games and is coming off a convincing 42-13 win over the Carolina Panthers at Foxborough. It should be a fascinating encounter on Sunday night in Orchard Park.

History

Talk about flipping the script?

The year before the Bill Belichick took over as head coach for the New England Patriots, the Buffalo Bills swept this AFC East rival in 1999. From 2000-2019, the clubs clashed a total of 40 times and the Patriots forged a 35-5 mark over that span.

Since 2020, it’s been a much different story as the Bills have prevailed in eight of the 11 overall meetings—including a resounding 47-17 victory at Orchard Park in the 2021 wild card round. The teams split their two-game set in 2024, with the home team prevailing in each instance.

What’s in a Number(s)?

Patriots: A year ago, the Patriots scored a total of 30 touchdowns—11 rushing, 16 passing, and a fumble return by cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Only the Browns (258) and Giants (273) scored fewer points than the Pats (289). In 2025, Vrabel’s team has produced 13 total TDs and 102 points in four games.

Bills: The team’s run defense remains an issue, and the problems were very evident in last week’s clash with the Saints. Kellen Moore’s winless team ran for 189 yards, the second-highest total allowed by McDermott’s club this season. Only the Bears have allowed more rushing yards than the Bills in 2025.