The Patriots enter their Week 16 game against the Bills ranked 13th in the league in scoring defense (22.1 PPG).

Analysis: New England put forth a spectacular performance against the Steelers in Week 15, holding them to 17 points and forcing a pair of turnovers, though it wasn't enough to avoid a loss. A much better matchup awaits Sunday, as the Bills rank 31st in scoring offense (15.4 PPG) and total offense (293.4 YPG). Rookie QB Josh Allen has provided an undeniable boost to Buffalo's offense and the team overall, but he has thrown four interceptions and lost one of four fumbles in four games since returning from…read more

The Patriots gave up 412 yards during Sunday's 34-33 loss to the Dolphins.

Analysis: The Patriots' defense will be on the wrong side of history for perhaps the most memorable finish to a regular season NFL game in quite some time. Many personnel questions swarmed the Patriots' coaching staff and Bill Belichick following the loss, but if there's a team that will block out the noise and shift its gears to Pittsburgh, it's New England. The Steelers enter this week's contest as the fourth-ranked total offense averaging 408.1 YPG. Given the Patriots' defensive struggles as of late…read more

The Patriots boast the league's ninth-ranked scoring defense (21.6 PPG) entering Week 14's game against the Dolphins.

Analysis: New England has revamped its defense following the 34-10 loss to Tennessee two weeks ago. It's almost like the Patriots needed a little wake up call after their six-game win streak. If there were any reservations about the legitimacy of this defense, those questions were put to rest following last week's 24-10 win over the Vikings. New England held Kirk Cousins and Co. to just 278 yards while forcing two turnovers. The performance certainly ranks near the top of personal highs for this…read more

The Patriots currently boast the league's 22nd-ranked total defense (377.5 YPG). They will take on the Vikings in Week 13.

Analysis: The Patriots enjoyed a nice bounce-back win over the Jets last week but some questions regarding the defense still remain. A strong outing against the New York offense isn't an overly persuading sample to believe New England has corrected much of its woes. This week's opponent, Minnesota, features one of the more dynamic offenses in football. Between the combination of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, New England's secondary will surely have their hands full come Sunday.

The Patriots rank 24th in the NFL in total defense entering their Week 12 game against the Jets.

Analysis: The Patriots are coming off a somewhat embarrassing all-around performance against the Titans in Week 10, allowing a bottom-third offense to score 34 points on 6.1 yards per play. Rookie QB Sam Darnold continues to deal with a foot injury, and at this point seems questionable at best for Sunday's tilt. Veteran Josh McCown struggled during his fill-in start against the Bills, as the Jets offense remains largely devoid of playmakers and averages less than 300 yards of offense. The Patriots have…read more