The Buffalo Bills and their fans are set to welcome a familiar divisional opponent today: the New England Patriots. Since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020, the Bills have taken control of the AFC East, dominating the division for the past five seasons without much resistance from New England.
While the Bills still have a long way to go to catch up to the Patriots in their all-time head-to-head series, it’s clear that Buffalo is the stronger team in the present. However, the Bills can’t afford to overlook the Patriots, especially with rookie quarterback Drake Maye showing potential as the team’s future.
Maye’s playing style has some similarities to that of Josh Allen, but he enters this game with limited support around him. Though there are several key storylines to follow, one factor that may go unnoticed is the connection between the Bills and Patriots through two former Buffalo players.
Two current Patriots players, both with previous ties to the Bills, are returning to Buffalo today. The first is cornerback Alex Austin, who is in his second season as a pro. Austin was drafted by the Bills in 2023 but did not make the roster, being waived before the season began.
After a stint with the Houston Texans, he eventually landed with the Patriots. Austin has only appeared in six games this season, but with injuries to the Patriots’ secondary, he could see significant playing time against Buffalo.
The other returning figure is Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Van Pelt played as a quarterback for the Bills from 1995 to 2003, but his time in Buffalo was unremarkable, starting just 11 games and finishing with a 3-8 record, 2,985 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions. Beyond his playing career, Van Pelt also served as a coach for the Bills from 2006 to 2009. He started as the offensive quality control coach before moving on to quarterbacks coach and eventually becoming the team’s offensive coordinator.
His tenure as Buffalo’s offensive playcaller was short-lived, as he was let go after the 2009 season. Since then, Van Pelt has held coaching roles with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and now the Patriots.
Don’t miss today’s Week 16 AFC East showdown between the Bills and Patriots, airing on CBS at 4:25 PM EST.
