Die Hard Bills Fan

The Buffalo Bills will face their division rival, the New England Patriots for AFC East supremacy at Gillette Stadium Sunday afternoon.

Broadcast Info:

Game: Buffalo Bills (5-3) @ New England Patriots (5-3).
TV: CBS (Dick Enberg, Randy Cross)
Radio: 97 Rock (Buffalo), 103.3 The EDGE (Buffalo), WHAM 1180 AM (Rochester), WNSS 1260 AM (Syracuse), FAN 590 AM (Toronto). All done by John Murphy, Mark Kelso and Paul Peck on the Bills radio network.
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Game Notes:

• Last meeting: In Week 11 last season, Tom Brady threw five touchdown passes, four to Randy Moss, as the Patriots scored on seven of their eight possessions to defeat the Bills, 56-10.
• New England has had Buffalo’s number since 2000, winning 14 of the last 15 meetings to take a 54-40-1 overall series lead.
• Patriots rookie Jerod Mayo is quietly leading a veteran defense with 59 tackles. Last month’s defensive rookie of the month has started all eight games at inside linebacker for the Patriots and led the team with 11 tackles vs. the Colts.
• BenJarvus Green-Ellis is another Patriots rookie making an impact. With Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan sidelined, the running back has scored a touchdown in each of the last three weeks, proving to be an adequate runner between the tackles.
• Flu-like symptoms may have been the reason for Marshawn Lynch’s career-low 16 rushing yards last week. Lynch will look to rebound Sunday, but he’ll have to do it against a Patriots defense that has held teams to an average of 83.6 rushing yards over the last five games.
• Buffalo is 12-3 under coach Dick Jauron when holding opponents to fewer than 300 yards.
• Bills rookie Leodis McKelvin ranks third in the AFC with 750 kick-return yards.
• Patriots wideout Wes Welker can become the first player in NFL history with at least six catches in each of his team’s first nine games.
• Not counting field goals, the Bills offense has been held to one touchdown scored or less in five of their last eight meetings with the Patriots defense. In Gillette Stadium New England’s defense gives up an average of 15.51 points per game.

Injury Report:

Bills- Out of Game: G Brad Butler (knee), WR Josh Reed (ankle), DE Aaron Schobel (foot), S Donte Whitner (shoulder) and CB Ashton Youboty (foot).  Questionable: LB Kawika Mitchell (ankle) and G Jason Whittle (back).    

Patriots- Out of Game:  CB Terrence Wheatley (wrist).  Doubtful: RB Sammy Morris (knee) and CB Lewis Sanders (hamstring).  Questionable:  RB LaMont Jordan (calf), LB Eric Alexander (hamstring), CB Ellis Hobbs (shoulder), WR Matt Slater (ankle) and DT Vince Wilfork (toe).    

Quote of the Week:

“They’re definitely similar guys Welker and Roscoe. I go against Roscoe every day in practice, so I’m definitely prepared for the role I’ve got to play this Sunday.”

-Reggie Corner on facing Wes Welker this week

Open Thread:

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The Buffalo Bills had another big hit on the defensive side of the ball today, so now someone else has to step up and fill the void.

The Bills announced today that corner back Ashton Youboty will be placed on IR, ending his season.  Coming into the year, Youboty was thought to be a training camp cut but he has played extremely well and was a big part to the Bills quick start.  Youboty had been dealing with plantar fasciitis (The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated. Then your heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk). He has been bothered by this injury in his foot for the better part of the past month and recently suffered a setback in his attempt to return from the injury. No word on whether surgery will be necessary for his current condition to correct the problem.  With the loss of Youboty, Buffalo has only four corners on their active roster.

The Bills went out and signed a free agent linebacker though to fill Ashton’s vacant roster spot.  Teddy Lehman is now the newest member of the squad.  He played in Detroit earlier in his career under Coach Dick Jauron.  The 5^th year vet has had some injury problems that have derailed his career, which is why he was available.  Lehman was a former second round pick in 2004.  He’s expected to dress for Sunday’s game and will wear jersey number 58 and will provide some depth at the LB position and special teams.       

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