Buffalo and New England meet on Sunday Night Football in Week 5 for the next episode in this long-standing AFC East rivalry. The Bills have dominated this matchup over the Patriots since 2020, sporting an 8-3 record against New England that includes a playoff win in January of 2022. However, the Patriots seem to have a new lease on life under head coach and former linebacker Mike Vrabel. Facing an undefeated Bills team will be the biggest challenge yet for New England’s new regime.
It’s a new era in New England, and a former mainstay from the franchise’s Super Bowl era is back running the show. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel took over as head coach in the offseason and already looks like he’s having a positive effect on the team. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye looks like he’s ready to live up to the hype, completing 74 percent of his passes for 988 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions this season. It’ll be a tall order, but if the Patriots can find a way to slow down the Bills, this rivalry could heat up and become more competitive overnight.
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The Bills have been rolling thus far in 2025, having won three of their first four games by at least 10 points. Aside from the week of the season against Baltimore (41-40), Buffalo has dominated opponents over the last three weeks. The Bills have won five consecutive AFC East division crowns, dating back to 2020. They’ll look to make it a sixth this season on the shoulders of reigning league MVP, quarterback Josh Allen. Early this season, Allen looks like he’s going for a second straight MVP award, completing 70.2 percent of his passes so far for 964 yards, with seven touchdown passes and just one interception. Allen also has 159 rushing yards and three touchdown runs through four games.
Date: Sunday, October 5
Patriots-Bills start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Highmark Stadium | Orchard Park, New York
TV channel, live stream: NBC
Bills-Patriots inactives for Week 5
Patriots inactives: LB K’Lavon Chaisson, DT Eric Gregory, G Caeden Wallace, WR Efton Chism, QB Tommy DeVito (emergency third-string QB)
Bills inactives: DT Ed Oliver, DT T.J. Sanders, LB Dorian Williams, WR Elijah Moore, KR Brandon Codrington, DB Jordan Hancock, OL Chase Lundt
Bills vs. Patriots live blog
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more as the Patriots and Bills close out the Week 5 Sunday slate on “Sunday Night Football.”