• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Patriots-Bills Preview

Dec 17, 2009 - 4:27 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Although turmoil and controversy continue to surround the New England Patriots, they managed to avoid a third straight loss and maintain control of the AFC East for another week.

Next on their agenda, they hope, is finally earning their first true road win of 2009.

There's probably no opponent the Patriots would rather visit than the Buffalo Bills, losers of 12 straight overall to the Patriots and trying to avoid clinching their fifth straight losing season Sunday.

New England (8-5) spent last week fielding questions about a defense that had struggled in back-to-back defeats and four players who had been sent home from practice after showing up late for a team meeting.

Despite those distractions, the Patriots beat Carolina 20-10 to keep a one-game lead over both Miami and the New York Jets as they try to reclaim the division they won five straight times from 2003-07.

"On every NFL team you have times during the season or weeks like that where it's a little more difficult," cornerback Shawn Springs said. "We found a way to put all that in our rearview mirror."

Not that all the Patriots' problems have been solved. Linebacker Adalius Thomas, one of the players disciplined by coach Bill Belichick last week, was benched following his public retort to the coach.

Randy Moss, another one who was disciplined, fumbled away his only catch against the Panthers. The veteran wideout, who has just six receptions in the last three games, had his effort questioned by Carolina defensive backs Chris Gamble and Chris Harris.

Belichick defended his explosive playmaker, who has 43 touchdown receptions since joining the Patriots in 2007.

"I have a lot of respect for Randy. I think he's one of our best players," Belichick said. "If you watch other teams defend him, watch other teams play against him, they think the same way, other than these two guys from Carolina after they lost another game. I guess they don't think that way, but they haven't won a lot of games now."

Tom Brady again relied heavily on Wes Welker, who had 10 of his league-leading 105 catches against the Panthers. Brady played through finger, rib and shoulder injuries that have cost him practice time again this week, but he is expected to play against Buffalo.

New England may be without perhaps its most important player on defense, however, after standout nose tackle Vince Wilfork left Sunday's game with a foot injury. His status is unclear, as is that of fellow defensive lineman Ty Warren, who hurt his ankle against the Panthers.

That could further weaken a defense that has struggled, especially against the pass and on the road, where the Patriots are 0-5 aside from a win over Tampa Bay in London.

Their last four road opponents have averaged more than 340 passing yards, with New England totaling just four interceptions and five sacks in those games.

"It's hard to be a good football team if you can't win on the road, and we haven't done a good job of that this year," Brady said. "We've had plenty of opportunities to win these games on the road, but we just haven't played our best football in the fourth quarter."

The struggles have been surprising for a team that was an NFL-best 38-10 away from home from 2003-08. That mark includes wins in New England's last five visits to Orchard Park, N.Y. by a combined score of 163-40, helping to extend its overall winning streak against the Bills to 12.

Another victory Sunday would match San Diego's run of 13 straight wins against Oakland as the NFL's longest active streak by one team against another, but the Patriots needed a dramatic comeback to beat the Bills at home in their season opener Sept. 14.

The Bills led 24-13 with just more than two minutes remaining, but after Brady threw a touchdown pass to tight end Ben Watson, Buffalo's Leodis McKelvin fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Brady then hit Watson again for the winning score.

Buffalo (5-8) has since changed coaches - replacing Dick Jauron with Perry Fewell - and quarterbacks, with Ryan Fitzpatrick stepping in for Trent Edwards.

Modest improvement has resulted, as the Bills have won two of their last three games.

They racked up 200 rushing yards and held a fourth straight opponent under 20 points in a 16-10 win at Kansas City on Sunday, but beating the Patriots would make a much bigger statement in support of Fewell as a potential coach beyond this season.

"It would be a tremendous boost," said Fewell, the defensive coordinator the previous three seasons. "Unfortunately, since I've been here, we haven't beaten them, so if we can do that, accomplish that, that would be a great Christmas present."

The Bills claimed controversial guard Richie Incognito off waivers from St. Louis on Wednesday as they attempt to bolster an injury-depleted offensive line.

While their defense leads the NFL with 25 interceptions - including nine by rookie Jairus Byrd - Buffalo ranks last in the league against the run, allowing 170.5 yards per game.

New England effectively used the run to beat the Panthers, who rank 26th in that category, as Laurence Maroney totaled 94 of the Patriots' 185 yards on the ground.