It’s been a while since the Buffalo Bills have faced an AFC East opponent. Their last division matchup was in Week 9 when they hosted the Miami Dolphins, and Tyler Bass hit a game-winning 61-yard field goal to secure another victory over Miami. After two weeks on the road, the Bills return to Orchard Park this Sunday to take on a struggling New England Patriots team.

The Patriots have not won since November 10 and will be looking to play spoiler against the Bills, who are still in the hunt for the top seed in the AFC. As New England continues to evaluate whether Jerod Mayo is the future head coach, Bills fans should also keep an eye on the future of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

Despite limited support from his surrounding talent, Maye has shown flashes of a high ceiling and could eventually develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. However, he will likely face some growing pains against the Bills this Sunday, especially in front of a passionate Bills Mafia crowd.

Ahead of the game, we had the opportunity to speak with Sara Marshall, the Site Expert for Musket Fire, to gain her insights on the Patriots heading into this critical AFC East matchup.

Bills vs. Patriots Week 16 Insights

1. With the Patriots on a four-game losing streak, who needs to step up (offense and defense) in order to help pull off an upset against the Bills?

It would be hard to point to anyone outside of Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez. They’ve been two of the only consistently productive players on the roster this season. While both have shown promise in their respective roles, they alone won’t be enough to get the job done against the Bills.

Offensively, the play calling needs to improve. It’s been a continual struggle with Alex Van Pelt, and his patterns haven’t been effective. The offense tends to improve late in games, but by then, they’re often too far behind to mount a successful comeback. The team is simply not built to play from behind.

Defensively, everyone needs to step up. Last week’s penalties were critical, wiping out the only two sacks the team had and extending drives that could have been stopped. The defense needs to be more aggressive and consistent, especially against a quarterback like Josh Allen.

2. The Bills’ defense has been heavily struggling the last two weeks, giving up 40+ points in back-to-back games. What will Drake Maye and the offense need to do to punish Buffalo’s defense?

The key for Maye and the offense will be to establish a strong running game early and maintain it throughout the game. They’ll also need to make use of Maye’s ability to throw the ball downfield. To do this, the receivers must get open, and the offensive line must avoid becoming a liability. If those things fall into place, the offense could have a big day against Buffalo.

3. What is a major weakness that the Patriots have that the Bills could easily attack?

The Patriots’ pass rush has been nearly nonexistent this season, which plays into Josh Allen’s strengths. Allen can exploit this weakness by using his legs to scramble or make planned runs. Additionally, the Patriots’ defensive line struggles against the run, which gives James Cook an opportunity to have another strong performance.

4. Do you believe Jerod Mayo could be one-and-done if the Patriots lose out the rest of the season?

It’s a complicated situation. Firing Jerod Mayo after just one season would be a tough decision for Robert Kraft, considering he hand-picked Mayo as Bill Belichick’s successor. Giving up on him so quickly would essentially admit a failure. However, Kraft has made it clear that he’s not happy with the team’s recent performance—particularly the fact that the Patriots have only made the playoffs once in the past four years. If the team fails to meet expectations this season, and Kraft doesn’t believe Mayo is the right coach to lead them to the postseason, he could be let go.

It’s more likely that changes would be made to the rest of the coaching staff rather than Mayo himself, but the situation is still uncertain.

Fans can tune in to CBS for a 4:25 PM EST kickoff live from Orchard Park this Sunday to watch this crucial AFC East matchup.