Can the Buffalo Bills Upset the New England Patriots?

Halfway through the 2012 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills are not playing up to the level that many had predicted.

The Bills were picked by many experts to be one of the surprise teams of this year. At 3-5 and tied for last place in the AFC East, Buffalo may very well be on their way to missing the playoffs for the 13th straight season, a fact all too familiar to their fans.

In Week 10, the Bills will look to start the turn-around to their season, against the top team in their division, the always fearsome Patriots. Buffalo will visit the New England Patriots for a 1 p.m. ET start. The game will air on CBS, but you can watch a live stream online by purchasing NFL Sunday Ticket Max.

It’s the second matchup between the two clubs this season. The Patriots dominated their Week 4 contest, after looking dumb-founded early on in the contest. New England won 52-28, scoring 35 unanswered points in the final three quarters.

The 52 points weren’t an aberration. The Patriots have the best offense in the league, while the Bills have the second-worst defense.

New England’s offense has been virtually unstoppable through eight games, averaging 32.8 points per game. For the first time in a few years, the Patriots have both a top flight passing game that soars downfield with ease, as well as a running game that steam-rolls opposing defenses. Second-year running back Steven Ridley is seventh in the NFL with 716 yards on the ground.

Buffalo was expected to have an improved defense in 2012. Bringing in defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson has done little to help them stop opposing teams, leaving the franchise and the fans scratching their heads. The Bills are having a historically bad defensive season, allowing 31 points per game.

The Patriots explosive offense should, once again, be able to take advantage of a weak Bills defense. Tom Brady has looked as good as ever lately, throwing for 16 touchdowns and 3 interceptions on the season. Look for New England to essentially end Buffalo’s season on Sunday afternoon, and take one step closer to winning their division.

Betting Line: New England-11, 52

Prediction: New England 41, Buffalo 24