We are right between the end of the 2022-2023 season and the start of the 2023-2024 season, and we cannot help but feel like we are in desperate need of some NFL drama. But we must wait before the NFL spreads become hot to trot and full of action again.
Last season there was so much drama, so much action; between the Eagles vs. Chiefs game, the incredible performance of the Bills and Bengals, and Brady’s sudden return then decline into drama, it was jam-packed!
However, NFL season is still far away, and in the meantime, the draft is the only thing we have to keep us going. That being said, there is still much else to think about. We have been thinking about the Bills and their rivalry with the Patriots.
It would seem that last year, they finally beat the Patriots!
The AFL Beginning
This rivalry was born in the AFL; they debuted their rivalry in the brand-new AFL in 1960. The Bills through the first punch of the rivalry, really bullying the offensive line of the Patriots, and ended up shutting them out as they journeyed towards a 13-0 victory.
While the Patriots were beaten and bloodied, they ended up coming back very strongly in the 1963 postseason.
Identical Records In 1963
While the Patriots made a comeback in ‘93, they finished equal to the Bills in the postseason, both having a 7-6-1 record, which split their season series, having the reside on top of the division as a twosome. It was the first playoff appearance for both, but the Bills ended up doing poorly early on.
Rivalry Post-Merger
After the merger in 1970, the Patriots relocated to Foxborough and changed their name. However, they have already hated rivals to the Bills, and this was not going to change that.
The Bills started their new relocated rivalry off in the right way, with an awesome 9-game winning streak from ‘71 until ‘75, settling the Patriots into the sediment of the new football landscape.
O.J Simpson
With O.J. Simpson on their back, Buffalo dominated the more recent history of these two teams, and the game in ‘75 was no different. The Bills opened with 2 touchdowns from Ferguson before Grogan, and Cunningham replied with 2 touchdown drives themselves.
Simpson then took his first touchdown of the day across the line in response to this, and Buffalo added a field goal for a 10-point lead, but Grogan found Francis on a pass for a score, so at halftime, things were as tight as 24-21
The Patriots came out hot and took their first lead on Cunningham’s 3rd touchdown, but the Bills did well, and O.J. caught his second touchdown. Suddenly the game was 31-31. The 4th quarter was all Buffalo when Simpson put the whole game on ice with 2 short touchdowns.
The Pats contained him all game but were unable to keep him out of the end zone when they needed to.
80s to 00s Alternating Success
In the early-mid 80s, the Bills were simply forgettable, but the Patriots were not. They had Grogan and got their first Super Bowl visit in ‘85; however, Buffalo was planting seeds. They had good draft seasons, good free agent signings, and new staff hires, which led to competitiveness.
Then, as they turned things about, the series record swung in their favor once more. Buffalo had their first of 4 consecutive Super Bowl appearances in 19980; however, they fell short.
2 Decades Of Being Defeated
Before the season of 2001, the Patriots led the all-time series at 42-39-1. NFL news and rumors had them for bigger winners with so many talented players in the coming years, and this was true to be seen. From 2001 until 2019, they sealed 36 of 40 matchups against the Bills.
They had Brady and company, and it meant less success for their rivals, and most of the success for the Patriots ended up coming in these 2 decades.
Drew Bledsoe & Brady
Only 1 year after signing Bledsoe to a 10-year $103 million contract, they needed to part with him. He was injured, and Tom Brady, who was a younger, cheaper prospect, was excelling, leading them to their first Lombardi trophy.
Incredibly, to settle the debate, they dealt Bledsoe to the Bulls for the 2003 1st-round pick, and the Bills thought they had their franchise guy, as did the Patriots, but only the Patriots were right.
The Patriots went on to defeat everyone in their midst, or at least they very nearly did, over a near-20-year period while Brady was at the helm. Meanwhile, the Bills trailed in their wake.
Turnaround
The real turnaround here was when Brady left for the Buccaneers, and the Patriots saw a near-immediate reduction in their stats. Meanwhile, the Bills succeeded, with December 2020 being the real point of prowess, where the Pats were blown out by the Bills in only 3 quarters.
Overall
The Pats had so much success with Brady, but now the Bills are heading the game between these rivals. What will happen next?
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