Five things to watch as the Patriots host the Bills

The Gronk factor(s)
Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White changed his tune last week in discussing Rob Gronkowski’s late hit on him, and that’s a good thing beyond the obvious. Aside from keeping the dirty, post-whistle garbage out of the game, it should mean the Bills’ focus today is on their quest for a playoff berth. One caution: What happens if it becomes a blowout? Gronk was central to the Pats’ 23-3 Week 13 win vs. the Bills and last week in Pittsburgh. It’s obvious that the passing runs through Gronk, so they’ve got to keep him safe against their revenge-driven visitors.

Protect the king
Tom Brady took a beating three weeks ago against the Bills, when the Patriots broke a 10-year trend of losing when Brady throws an interception but not a touchdown pass. Brady was hit eight times, including three sacks, and two of those sacks led to settling for field goals in the red zone. The Bills don’t exactly boast a lethal pass rush, either. Left guard Joe Thuney yielded his first two sacks of the season in that meeting, and it started his unwelcome streak of three consecutive games with a sack allowed. Thuney has to turn it around, and the Patriots once again need to do a better job of protecting Brady. And it’s a task that could get that much harder if left tackle Nate Solder, a late addition to the injury report with an illness last night, is unable to go.

Ground gains
The Patriots’ game plan was well-grounded in the Week 13 victory, and it worked to their advantage. However, Rex Burkhead was a major reason for that offensive success with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. He won’t play today due to a knee injury. Fear not, Dion Lewis’ 92 rushing yards vs. Buffalo were the third most of his career, so he could have another big day. And James White can pick up Burkhead’s pass-catching duties, even if they do it in a different way. A potential side story today: Mike Gillislee’s streak of six consecutive scratches should theoretically come to an end, so he could get the ball against his former team.

Up-and-down Gilmore
Stephon Gilmore had a terrific game in his return to Buffalo, as Bills quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Nathan Peterman were just 2-of-7 for 22 yards when throwing at him, and he had two pass breakups. Gilmore also bottled up Zay Jones in the end zone to force Taylor’s early interception, and he was in coverage for three consecutive throws into the end zone in the fourth quarter. The Bills repeatedly tried and failed to beat Gilmore. Expect more of the same after his tough outing against the Steelers. Last week, Gilmore allowed his first touchdown in four games and yielded 76 yards, his most since Week 2. Let’s see if Kelvin Benjamin (questionable, knee injury) is able to return. He’d present a more imposing challenge than Jones.

Success Taylor-made?
The Patriots defense was dominant against the Bills in the first meeting, but Tyrod Taylor also played through a knee injury that he reportedly suffered on the game’s first snap. So did the Patriots flourish because they had been playing so well for a two-month stretch, or did Taylor’s knee have something to do with it? Chances are it was a combination of the two, as Taylor was just 9-of-18 for 65 yards and a pick before Peterman hit the field in garbage time. The Patriots have the sixth-ranked scoring defense in the NFL, but they’ve allowed 51 points in their two games since stifling the Bills. If the Pats prevail again, they’d suppress the Bills’ playoff hopes and create another round of defensive mojo with the Jets on tap next week.