5 difference makers to watch out for in Patriots vs Bills Wild Card Round game
Welcome to the playoffs. The Super Bowl is in range for the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. However, to get there, each team needs to win today. That said, there can only be one winner.
Who will emerge victorious? That will be up to the teams to decide. Of course, some pieces on each team will make a bigger impact than others. Here's who the five biggest difference makers should be in this WIld Card matchup.
For better or worse: most impactful pieces in Patriots-Bills playoff matchup
#1 - Mac Jones
In football, the quarterback is the biggest difference-maker in most games. Generally speaking, if the quarterback has a bad day, the team will lose. If he has a good game, the team has a good shot of winning. Put simply, a quarterback can't win a game with their first few throws, but they can definitely lose it.
During the 2021 season, now fired #Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, told starting QB Tua Tagovailoa that the team should've taken Mac Jones in the Draft, according to @mlombardiNFL https://t.co/0lTcpUKM8U
Mac Jones is going into his first playoff game in the NFL. In theory, he is coming off a season in which he won a championship, however, that was in college playing for Alabama under legendary head coach Nick Saban. The NFL is a different beast though, but what better mentor to help guide you through your first season in the league than the equally legendary Bill Belichick?
Being in the NFL comes with a different type of pressure and there are many questions surrounding the young quarterback. Will Jones be composed when he steps on the field on Saturday? Since April, his entire NFL career has been building to this moment. Will the moment be too big for him?
Jones has regulary been compared to Tom Brady this season, but those could end swiftly if he has a bad game today.
#2 - Hunter Henry
For the Patriots to win, they are going to need to score points. To do so, they will need everyone to contribute, but Hunter Henry could see more targets in this game than normal. After playing each other twice, both divisional opponents are quite familiar with each other's tendencies. Meaning, it will be up to one side to surprise the other with a new focal point on offense.
The #Patriots made Jonnu Smith 3rd highest paid Tight End in the league when they signed him to a four-year, $50M contract with $31.25M guaranteed in free-agency.
Smith finished the regular season with only 28 catches for 294 yards and 1 TD while playing behind Hunter Henry. https://t.co/VIceisvC2w
In the two teams' first encounter, the run game was the main vehicle through which the Patriots' ran their offense. In the second game, Mac Jones' arm took center stage, targeting his receivers for most of the day. This time, the team will need an unconventionally big game from the tight end.
The tight end could implode or explode in this game, If Hunter Henry can handle the additional workload, he could be the driving force of the team's offense. Should the Patriots be able to put up points while minimizing turnovers, they'll emerge victorious. Henry has had 50 catches for 603 yards and nine touchdowns so far this season. He has the talent to take over a game. Will it happen on Saturday?