Pregame coverage: All you need to know before the Bills battle the Patriots

The dynasty was supposed to be dead.

When the Buffalo Bills walked into Gillette Stadium almost exactly one year ago, a changing of the guard felt inevitable in the AFC East. The visiting team absolutely put it on the home team, as the Bills’ 38-9 victory over the New England Patriots was breathtaking in its efficiency.

The Buffalo Bills activated left tackle Dion Dawkins from the reserve/Covid-19 list Saturday, potentially adding some stability to the offensive line for Sunday’s AFC East showdown with the New England Patriots.

Dawkins tested positive for a second bout with Covid on Dec. 17 and did not play last week against Carolina. He had a lengthy battle with Covid-19 at the start of training camp that required hospitalization.

Bills offensive lineman Daryl Williams has gotten used to change. 

Williams is in his second year with the Bills. He signed a three-year contract extension in March after starting all 16 games at right tackle last year. This season, his switching from tackle to guard and back has been constant. 

When the Bills run: The Patriots’ run defense has struggled in recent weeks, giving up 226 yards to Jonathan Taylor and the Colts last week and 270 yards to the Titans in their last home game. Overall, New England ranks 24th in the NFL against the run. The Bills are coming off a game in which Devin Singletary ran a career-high 22 times, but it remains to be seen what kind of emphasis the Bills will put on running the ball in normal weather conditions. EDGE: Even.

When the Bills throw: Allen has accounted for 81.1% of the Bills’ yards this season, which trails only Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr (82.5%) in the AFC. Allen’s 35 total touchdowns is tied for the lead in the conference, too. He’ll look to duplicate his performance in New England last year, when he went 27 of 36 for 320 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-9 win. It won’t be easy, though, as the Patriots’ pass defense ranks third, allowing 185.1 yards per game. The Bills will be without Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis, who are both on the Ccovid-19 list. Emmanuel Sanders is expected to return from a knee injury. EDGE: Even.

Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown was fined $5,000 by the NFL for his beer-drinking celebration after Stefon Diggs' touchdown in the second quarter Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. 

Brown acknowledged the fine on social media, tweeting, "Well…… ended up being the most expensive @budlight of my life." Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network tweeted the amount of the fine and said it was for using a prop for a celebration. 

Welcome to this week’s Bills Mailbag. We’ll start with the topic that’s on everyone’s mind – the never-ending pandemic, and its potential impact on the team …

GDW asks: As we all await Sunday’s vital game, allow me to address the elephant in the room. Cole Beasley has become a major distraction. Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott privately must be very upset about this. Beasley promised us in the summer that he was done communicating his feelings about vaccinations. He continues to break that promise often. ... Enough is enough. If he doesn’t like the rules, retire. I’m a bit surprised that McBeane is putting up with all of this. Distractions like this go against team chemistry, even though the Bills’ hierarchy will not publicly admit it.

The Buffalo Bills are dealing with an outbreak of Covid-19 at the absolute worst time. 

Already depleted at wide receiver and on the offensive line, the Bills learned Friday their situation is getting worse, as receiver Gabriel Davis and guard Cody Ford were placed on the NFL's reserve/Covid-19 list. This comes ahead of a much-anticipated matchup against the New England Patriots on Sunday, a game that will determine first place in the AFC East. 

The Bills and New England Patriots meet at 1 p.m. Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. The Patriots are a 2.5-point favorite. 

Jay Skurski: The Bills’ talent gap over New England has been narrowed this week with Cole Beasley out because of Covid-19 and the offensive line in flux for the same reason. Despite that, the Bills have the better quarterback. In what should be a close game, that should make the difference. The Bills are 0-5 in games decided by one score or less, but it feels as if that has to swing the other way at some point. It’s no big secret, but scoring first would go a long way for the Bills. If the offense can provide an early lead, the Patriots will be pushed toward throwing the ball more with rookie quarterback Mac Jones. Even without All-Pro cornerback Tre'Davious White, that’s what the Bills want. Safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, fresh off their respective Pro Bowl snubs, should be plenty motivated to show why that was a mistake. Bills, 27-20.

It’s been a week to remember in the Diggs’ family.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs was excited to earn his second Pro Bowl honor Wednesday night, but it paled in comparison to the joy he experienced when he learned that his younger brother, Trevon, had made it for the first time.

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll probably will want to keep giving the offensive line a little extra support Sunday in New England.

The availability of left tackle Dion Dawkins remains uncertain with him on the Covid list, which means rookie Spencer Brown could start again at left tackle, and the right side of the line again could be Cody Ford at guard and Daryl Williams at tackle. Even if Dawkins comes off the Covid list in time for the game, the Patriots’ defensive front is a tough physical matchup for the Bills.

Buffalo Bills fans were offered a glimpse of what a future stadium experience might entail – but not what the venue will actually look like.

New York State on Thursday released a study commissioned by the Bills to compare three potential stadium sites: Orchard Park, South Park Avenue on the outskirts of downtown and the University at Buffalo's North Campus.

All good things come to an end, and they did when the Patriots were upended at Indianapolis last Saturday, ending their 7-0 win streak straight up and against the spread. During their winning streak ahead, the Patriots feasted off opponents making lots of mistakes. New England, meanwhile, remained mostly error-free. That completely changed in the loss to the Colts, as mistakes did them in. Now, the Patriots are looking up at No. 1 seed Kansas City in the AFC playoff picture.

New England upended Buffalo, 14-10, as a three-point underdog three weeks ago, and brings an 8-2 record straight up and 7-3 mark against the spread in the last 10 games in this series.

It’s Judgment Day in a lot of ways for the 2021 Buffalo Bills on Sunday against the New England Patriots.

Actually, let’s call it Judgment Day, Part 1, since the final judgment on the Bills will be made based on what they do in January.

The Bills, in their bright red color-rush jerseys, thankfully didn’t make the Bills Mafia red in the face with rage or embarrassment last Sunday at chilly Highmark Stadium.

Two Bills were named to the Pro Bowl Wednesday: wide receiver Stefon Diggs and left tackle Dion Dawkins.

It’s the second nod for Diggs – both coming during his time in Buffalo – and the first for Dawkins. The 2022 Pro Bowl will take place in Las Vegas on Feb. 6 at Allegiant Stadium.

Buffalo Bills fan Rich Donohue’s insurance office in Batavia got a visit Tuesday from what might be the largest beer deliveryman anywhere.

Bills mammoth offensive lineman Spencer Brown, who is 6-foot-7, stopped by to drop off cases of Bud Light.

The Bills will be without wide receiver Cole Beasley for Sunday's rematch against the New England Patriots, but coach Sean McDermott isn't one to dwell on who won't be playing. He was already looking ahead to adjustments his team will need to make.

Beasley reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, meaning he will miss at least 10 days because he is unvaccinated. 

’Twas three nights before Christmas

When all through the town

The Buffalo Bills placed Cole Beasley on the Reserve/Covid-19 list Tuesday, a blow to the team's receiving corps in advance of this week's showdown with the New England Patriots.

Beasley arguably has been the most vocal anti-vaccine proponent among NFL players, saying on social media last summer that he would rather retire than be forced to get vaccinated and wanted to live his life his way. 

The Bills are switching things up at running back again.

Running back Matt Breida will be inactive against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, while Zack Moss is active. Moss has been inactive three of the last four games. The one game he was active over that stretch was the last meeting against the Patriots, where he had eight carries for 21 yards, and another 12 receiving yards on two catches. 

Bills rookie tackle Spencer Brown was not only fined for his beer celebration for use of a prop – the bill there came to $4,884 – he also was fined for his taunting penalty. That one was another $4,884, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Brown, making his debut at left tackle with Dion Dawkins on the Covid list, was penalized five times in the win against the Carolina Panthers.