‘Old-school slobber-knocker’
Matchup against rival Patriots could be coldest game in Bills history
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. If this is the end of the line for Jerry Hughes’ career, the Buffalo Bills defensive end is primed for the playoffs.
Whether it’s facing the rival New England Patriots for a third time in seven weeks or the prospect of playing in potentially sub-zero temperatures on Saturday night, the 12th-year veteran is eager to take both head on.
“Spend some time outside, take off your pants, get in some shorts and enjoy that weather — really embrace it,” Hughes said of preparing for what could be the coldest game in Bills history.
As for the Patriots, there’s more than enough bad blood between the divisional foes to get him amped.
“It’s just going to be an old-school slobber-knocker,” Hughes said at a time when his future in Buffalo is uncertain, in the final year of his contract. He’d like to return, but that’s out of his control and outside of his focus.
More important is an opportunity to make up for unfinished business a year after Buffalo’s deepest playoff run in 27 years ended with a loss to Kansas City in the AFC championship game.
“If this is my last opportunity being a Buffalo Bill, I want to go out on top,” Hughes said.
Leave it to the lone player left on Buffalo’s roster from the late Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson’s era, and making his fourth playoff appearance in five years, to set the stage for a rubber match after the teams split their season series.
Buffalo briefly ceded first place in the AFC East after being embarrassed at home in a 14-10 loss to New England on Dec. 6. Three weeks later, the Bills responded with a 33-21 win at New England as part of a four-game winning streak to clinch their second consecutive division title.
Standing in their way, fittingly, are the Patriots, an opponent which essentially owned Buffalo by winning 35 of 40 meetings from 2000 to 2019, but have lost three of the past four.
“I had a feeling we would probably see them again,” Bills safety Jordan Poyer said.
While Buffalo, at 11-6, has become the team to beat in the AFC East, the 10-7 Patriots have undergone a fast-tracked transition after Tom Brady’s departure two years ago.
After missing the playoffs last season for just the fourth time since coach Bill Belichick’s arrival in 2000, the retooled Patriots leaned on a multi-faceted running attack and sturdy defence to take the pressure off rookie quarterback Mac Jones. It’s how the Patriots faltered down the stretch in losing three of four, and being outscored by a combined 93-62 in those defeats, that’s cause for concern.
No worries, said linebacker Matt Judon: “All we wanted was a ticket to the dance. We got that. We’re in the playoffs, and now we gotta go make it happen.”
It helps that the Patriots know they can win in the wintry Buffalo conditions after Jones attempted just three passes and watched New England’s running attack churn out 222 yards in facing 50-km/h wind gusts.
“I don’t think we lack confidence,” Belichick said. “We do enough good things to be competitive. We just need to be more consistent.”
After hosting two playoff games a year ago with about 7,000 fans present because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Bills look forward to having what should be close to a full house on hand for the first time in the post-season since Hall of Famer Jim Kelly’s final game, a 30-27 loss to Jacksonville in a 1996 wild-card playoff. “First of all, it’s a huge sense of pride to see a fan base support you through that,” centre Mitch Morse of fans showing up in the worst weather. “And then you also question the inebriation level of some of those people.”