The New England Patriots improved to 9-0 with last week’s win at the New York Giants and secured a winning record for the 15th consecutive season, joining San Francisco (16) and Dallas (16) as the only teams with a streak of 15 straight winning seasons since the 1970 NFL merger.
The Patriots will begin a two-game set of nationally televised games when they host the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. It will be the second meeting of the two teams this season. On Sept. 20, the Patriots beat the Bills, 40-32, at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The week after the Buffalo game, the Patriots will travel to Denver to face the Broncos in a Sunday Night Football game.
The Patriots are an NFL-best 42-15 in the month of November since 2001 for a .737 winning percentage. Also, the Patriots own a 70-19 (.787) record in the regular season against AFC East opponents, the best intra-division record of any team in the NFL since 2001. The Patriots are 3-0 in the AFC East in 2015.
WHERE TO WATCH
- Tavern on Broadway turns the volume all the way up on their flat screens and has an amazing football munchies menu.
- Nikolas Pizza runs a great deal. A large one topping pizza, a dozen wings and 60oz pitcher of beer or sangria for $21.95. Full volume on the tv’s and the direct tv package.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: This week’s game will be broadcast by ESPN and can be seen locally on WCVB-TV Channel 5 in Boston. Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties with John Gruden as the color analyst. Lisa Salters will work the sidelines. The game will be produced by Jay Rothman and directed by Chip Dean.
NATIONAL RADIO: This week’s game will be broadcast to a national audience on Westwood One Sports. Kevin Harlan and Boomer Esiason will call the game. Steve Tasker will work the sidelines.
LOCAL RADIO: 98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for thePatriots Radio Network. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis. Produced by Marc Cappello.
BETTER THAN AVERAGE
The New England Patriots can reach double-digit wins for for the 13th consecutive season with a win vs. Buffalo on Monday Night Football. San Francisco (16) is the only other team to accomplish the feat.
SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots and Bills will meet for the 112th time and for the second of two 2015 meetings. The Patriots traveled to Buffalo on Sept. 20 and walked away with a 40-32 victory.
New England holds a 68-42-1 edge in the series. The teams split the season series last year with Buffalo winning at Gillette Stadium for the first time in 13 tries.
New England has swept the series 23 times. The Patriots have won 27 of the last 31 games between the clubs, dating back to the 2000 season.
The Patriots are 35-20 all-time in home games against Buffalo, including 12-1 at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots are 32-22-1 all-time at Buffalo, including 26-16 at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The series between the AFC East rivals began in 1960. The Patriots’ 68 wins over the Bills are their highest victory total over any opponent, nine more than they own over the New York Jets (59).
After seven straight series sweeps and 15 straight Patriots wins, Buffalo ended the streak with a 34-31 victory at Ralph Wilson Stadium in the first meeting of the two teams in 2011 on Sept. 25. The 15-game win streak is the third longest winning streak over a single opponent in NFL history. The Patriots avenged that loss in the 2011 regular season finale on Jan. 1, 2012 by overcoming a 21-0 first quarter deficit and scoring 49 unanswered points en route to a 49-21 victory.
The teams have had many memorable matchups over the years, including a five-game span from 1999 to 2001 where four of the five contests were decided in overtime.
SERIES BREAKDOWN
Home Record, 35-20
Record in Foxborough, 29-15
Foxboro Stadium, 17-14
Gillette Stadium, 12-1
Record in Boston, 6-5
Road Record, 33-22-1
War Memorial Stadium, 7-6-1
Ralph Wilson/Rich Stadium, 26-16
Largest Margin of Victory, 46 points (2007)
Largest Margin of Defeat, 35 points (1970)
Longest Win Streak, 15 games (2003-2010)
Bill Belichick vs. Buffalo Bills, 27-5 (27-4 with NE)
Rex Ryan vs. NE, 3-10 RS (1-0 in the PS)
PATRIOTS-BILLS QUICK HITS
– The Patriots have recorded 68 wins over the Bills, the most by the Patriots against any one opponent. The Jets are second with 59 wins.
– The Buffalo Bills snapped a streak of 13 straight home wins by the Patriots, including 12 straight wins by the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, with their 17-9 win in the 2014 season-finale on Dec. 28, 2014.
– Bill Belichick has a 72-25 (.742) all-time regular season record against the AFC East as head coach of the Patriots.
PASSING PERFORMANCES
Tom Brady has led the Patriots to 24 regular-season victories over the Bills, recording his highest regular season victory total over any opponent. Additionally, Brady has thrown for more touchdowns (61) against Buffalo than any other opponent. He has 49 touchdowns against the Dolphins and 38 against the Jets. Brady also has more 300-yard games (9) against Buffalo than any other NFL team. He has seven 300-yard games against Miami.
