New England Patriots 2020 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games

1. Home: Buffalo Bills

All of the other matchups we have covered are well and good, but New England has to win the AFC East before they can take another Super Bowl run seriously. The loss of Tom Brady means the gap between the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills has reduced significantly, making their matchups with the Bills the most important games of New England’s season.

The Bills were also a playoff team last year but they failed to beat New England in either meeting, including a close game in Week 16 that could have given them a shot at the division title in Week 17. The Patriots have absolutely owned the Bills over the last 20 years, going 35-5 against their AFC East rivals dating back to Belichick’s first season in 2000.

That mental edge could be huge for New England, which has often found a way to intimidate opponents by use of the Patriots’ mystique. The young Bills haven’t beaten New England since 2016, so there could be a bit of a mental roadblock for them to overcome against the Patriots.

If Belichick can find a way to extend their run of dominance over the Bills, the Patriots will have an excellent shot to win the AFC East once again. The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets have improved this offseason, but neither is as much of a threat to New England as Buffalo is.

The immediate goal for the Patriots is to win the AFC East again, and their two matchups against Buffalo will play the biggest role in deciding the division champion. That fact alone makes the Bills’ games the most important ones New England has to win this season.