Key Matchups in Patriots vs. Bills Week 5 Divisional Showdown

Here are the three things to watch most closely.

1. Can the Patriots Stop James Cook?

James Cook is off to a monster start: 401 rushing yards (2nd in the NFL), 5.3 yards per carry, five rushing touchdowns, and a league-leading 21 rushing first downs. The Bills lead the NFL in rush attempts (132), rushing yards (683), and rushing touchdowns (eight).

The Patriots run defense has been statistically strong: 2nd in rushing yards allowed, 2nd in yards per attempt, 7th in rush EPA, and 5th in run stop win rate. But this is their biggest test yet. New England plays nickel on 72% of snaps, the 4th-highest rate in the league, and stopping Cook with a lighter box will be critical to keeping Josh Allen and his weapons contained.

Kyle Dugger and Marte Mapu could be called on for expanded roles to help in the box against Cook and matching up with Buffalo’s tight ends. If the Patriots can slow Cook without overcommitting, they’ll have a shot to disrupt the Bills’ rhythm.

Allen is already in MVP form: 964 passing yards, 10 total touchdowns, and just 1 turnover through four games. He’s faced the lowest pressure rate in the NFL (21.7%), and has spread the ball around to his receivers, tight ends and backs, with five different players having 10 or more catches.

The Patriots rank 13th in pressure rate (23.1%), led by Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, and have shown they can get home with four. But Allen is a different beast, one not easy to pressure and even harder to get to the ground. With Christian Gonzalez healthy, the Patriots could get aggressive, but they’ll need to disguise coverages and mix in zone to keep Allen guessing.