FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots have one major goal remaining in the regular season — clinching home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. All they need to do is beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
That doesn't seem so difficult for a team that has won its last seven games vs. one that dropped seven straight before winning Saturday.
The Patriots (12-3) must avoid turnovers and get decent play out of a makeshift offensive line should two starters remain sidelined. But the Bills (6-9) won 34-31 in the third game of the season, handing the Patriots one of their three losses. The Patriots gave the ball away four times in that game, all on Tom Brady's interceptions leading to 24 points.