Going into the 2026 season, the Week 4 matchup between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills was one I had circled as an even matchup. Now, with three weeks behind us, the story is a big different. The Patriots desperately need this to be a reset, as the defending AFC Champions' season begins to crumble below them.
But no one is happier to watch the Patriots struggle than the Bills. When it comes to AFC East titles, the last two decades, New England has personified a roadblock for the Bills. Even last year, when the Patriots were supposed to be rebuilding, a hat and t-shirt game should have been a little easier to obtain for the Bills.
But it was deja vu all over again for Buffalo. This season looks to be swinging back in the Bills' favor. The Patriots are their own worst enemy, the Miami Dolphins may have the worst roster in NFL history and the New York Jets are well... the New York Jets.
Let's dive deeper into the AFC East showdown. Date: Sunday, Oct. 4 | Time: 1 p.m. ETLocation: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, NY)TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+Follow: CBS Sports AppOdds: Bills -7, O/U 48.5 (via DraftKings) The Patriots come into the game sitting at 1-2 with a laundry list of issues to fix.
Their one win was a decent showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but even in the victory, cracks were shown. They are coming off a 35-6 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars, in which Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw two interceptions and had two fumbles, losing one. Maye has a league-high six interceptions and looks like a shell of the runner-up MVP we saw last season.
The Bills are in a different boat than New England at 3-0, though turnovers are something they struggled with last week as well. In their Week 3 24-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, they turned the ball over five times, with three fumbles lost and two interceptions. This was a prime example of the old adage that great teams find a way to win no matter what.
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