The Patriots are making their return to “Sunday Night Football” when they travel to Buffalo for a divisional game against the Bills. It will be the first time NBC has broadcast a Patriots Sunday prime-time game since 2023, when they lost to the Dolphins.
There has been a constant decrease in prime-time events for the six-time Super Bowl champions since Tom Brady departed New England in 2019, including being flexed to a 1 p.m. Sunday game from a scheduled “Monday Night Football” tilt against the Chiefs in 2023.
That’s as bad as it gets in the NFL. A really low moment.
New England hasn’t played well enough in its opportunities to warrant more, as it has a 7-12 record in prime-time games since 2020 with a 17.8 points per game average in those contests. It has not played more than three of those events in a season since 2022, a marker that could change if another is added to its already three scheduled for 2025.
Improvement isn’t just needed. It’s a barometer for the juvenile Patriots.
“I think if you want to get to where you want to get to, I think you certainly better enjoy it, better enjoy playing in prime-time games,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “And that’s something that we’re trying to prepare for right now. And so, I think that certainly it will be a huge challenge. The last time they lost at home was 14 games ago. We’re well aware of that and have to do a lot of really good things to give ourselves a chance. They’re playing good football. They’re playing clean football. They’re not beating themselves, and they’re doing a nice job in all phases.”
Josh Allen (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
While the Patriots have struggled in the previous five years, the Bills have ruled over the AFC East.
Josh Allen and his Bills are 7-2 against the Patriots since 2020, excluding 2024’s Week 18 matchup that featured almost all backup players from both teams. One of those losses was the wacky wind game of 2021, which saw fridge temperatures of 36 degrees — with a feel-like temperature of 23 degrees — and gusts that ranged from 20-50 mph during New England’s 14-10 win.
The Patriots will march into Buffalo — experiencing an expected ordinary weather conditions — with a slew of offseason acquisitions who are no strangers to prime time. Defensive tackle Milton Williams played in multiple Super Bowls for the Eagles, plus cornerback Carlton Davis and linebacker Harold Landry each have playoff experience with their former teams.
Second-year signal caller Drake Maye made his NFL debut during garbage time of a 24-3 blowout to the New York Jets during “Thursday Night Football,” the Patriots’ only prime-time game a season ago.
Performing well in prime time would be a massive improvement for the young Patriots, who can improve to 3-2 with a win in Buffalo. It would be their first victory in upstate New York since 2021.
