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By Cole Sullivan
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The Buffalo Bills (9–4) lost to the New England Patriots (11–2) earlier this season at Highmark Stadium, a result that has now made Sunday’s rematch a critical, must-win game for Josh Allen and the Bills.
Trailing the Patriots by two games with four games remaining, a loss for Buffalo would clinch the AFC East title for New England and end the Bills’ five-year run atop the division.
A win, however, would dramatically change the landscape, pulling Buffalo within one game of the Patriots with a split head-to-head record and three games remaining for both teams.
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The stakes are extremely high, as a non-division winner would be slotted between the No. 5 and No. 7 seeds and would not receive a first-round home game. In all likelihood, that would mean no home games throughout the playoffs, barring an upset, since division winners are guaranteed at least one home playoff game.
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According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Bills entered the matchup as slight 2.5-point favorites but received bad news just hours before kickoff on the defensive side of the ball.
Buffalo will be without star cornerback Christian Benford, who sustained a foot injury this week. In Week 14 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Benford recorded a go-ahead pick-six in the fourth quarter.
The Bills are dealing with several key injuries, including Christian Benford, who has arguably been the team’s best defensive player all season. Meanwhile, the Patriots are as healthy as any team could be this late in the NFL season.
Buffalo will also be without wide receiver Gabe Davis and linebacker Terrel Bernard. On the bright side, star pass rusher Joey Bosa is set to return after missing last week’s game against Cincinnati, providing a significant boost to the defense.
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