Patriots vs. Bills: Five Players to Watch

With their Week 5 matchup against the Buffalo Bills set to kick off in prime time at Highmark Stadium, the New England Patriots are hoping to remain in the win column heading into Week 6.

The Pats (2-2) enter this matchup on the heels of their best outing this season, a 42-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. The Bills, however, provide the Pats with their toughest test of the season. Buffalo is undefeated at 4-0, fresh off a 31-19 win over the New Orleans Saints.

While New England has shown flashes of prowess on both sides of the ball, Buffalo’s talent and big-play capabilities might be a bit too much for the Patriots to overcome in western New York.  

Though many of New England’s notables are expected to garner some attention during this upcoming matchup, here are five players that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats take the field against the Bills.

Drake Maye

The Patriots second year quarterback is facing his toughest test this season to date in a Buffalo defense that ranks first in the league in passing defense — allowing a stingy 125.8 passing yards per game. Still, Maye had made notable strides with improving his footwork, reading opposing defenses and tempering his on-field aggression. Through the Patriots’ first four games, the 23-year old has completed 74 percent of his passes for 988 yards with seven touchdowns to only two interceptions. While Maye’s success may largely be dependent on the quality of protection he receives from his offensive line, he can find success against the Bills by maximizing his yardage gains on early downs and using the intermediate areas of the field to move the ball.

Patriots Run Defense

While putting the entire defensive front in the spotlight may be a bit of a cheat, it will take a total team effort to control Bills’ running back James Cook in Week 5. The ex Georgia Bulldog is off to an impressive start to the 2025 season, having amassed 401 rushing yards (second in the NFL,) five rushing touchdowns, and leads the league with 21 rushing first downs. He is also quite adept at compiling ground yardage, earning an average 5.3 yards per carry. In total, the Bills lead the NFL in rush attempts (132), rushing yards (683), and rushing touchdowns (eight).

The Patriots, however, are more “up to the task” than most national pundit would have one believe. New England has the second-ranked rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 77.5 rushing yards per game. Rather than reading and reacting to run or pass — as they had in previous seasons — New England’s defensive front has become unlocked to get upfield, leading to more plays behind the line of scrimmage. Defensive tackle Milton Williams’ presence has been a key reason for that improvement. Last season, the Pats struggled to generate early-down pressure. This season, alongside fellow defensive tackle Christian Barmore, the Pats now rank 13th in the NFL in pressure rate at 35.5 percent. With Williams listed as questionable with a ankle injury, the Pats face a significant challenge in keeping Cook in check in Week 5.

Stefon Diggs

In what many are billing as the “Diggs Revenge” game, the two-team All-Pro may be better served by using this Week 5 contest against his former mates as yet another opportunity for growth within New England’s offense. After leading the team with six catches for 101 yards in Week 4, it has become clear that Diggs has immediately upgraded the Patriots’ current pass catching group. On the season, the Maryland product leads New England’s receivers with 19 catches for 213 yards. His sure hands, ability to accelerate and precision route-running provide the team with a talent which has eluded them in recent seasons. Though “revenge” may be a slightly overdramatized emotion used to describe Diggs’ motivation for this game, he would undoubtedly appreciate the chance to put up big numbers against an injury-plagued Bills’ secondary.