Buffalo Bills: It's Time to Dethrone the New England Patriots

Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Buffalo Bills gave Bills Nation one glorious victory last September. The Bills ended their 15-game losing streak against the New England Patriots and won in stunning fashion. It's time for Buffalo to consistently compete with New England and make the AFC East crown more of a battle.

Although the Patriots came up a drive short in the Super Bowl, it was obvious that Buffalo could compete with them. Before last September, Buffalo's last win against New England was a 31-0 romp in September of 2003. The Bills have had a few close games in between, but most of them weren't close. Luckily for Bills fans, the talent gap is quickly shortening.

It sounds crazy. The Patriots were 13-3 and made the Super Bowl, while Buffalo was 6-10 and missed the playoffs again. So how can Buffalo knock the Patriots out of control of the AFC East, which they have owned for a decade?

As hard as it is to win 15 consecutive games against a team, it is equally as hard to lose those 15 games. Professional athletes are extremely competitive, and get they paid to play the game. Buffalo plays New England twice a year, and though it's taken quite some time, Buffalo may have Tom Brady's number.

Tom Brady is a great quarterback, and he can only be rattled in one way: by applying pressure. The Giants won two Super Bowls with that approach.

As seen in Buffalo's victory last season, pressuring the quarterback led to a victory. While the Bills had zero sacks, they pressured Brady into throwing four interceptions.

Brady is a great quarterback who can thread the needle if given the time. The Patriots have a decent offensive line and do a good job at protecting Brady. However, the Bills were able to get to Brady and force mistakes. With the addition of an above average pass-rusher in the offseason, Brady should become more flustered when the two teams play.

The Buffalo Bills usually split the divisional games with Miami and New York, or at least keep them close. The Dolphins and Jets have beaten New England in the past, but both teams have also lost to some lousy Bills teams. If Buffalo can get on a hot streak midseason, there is no reason Buffalo cannot seriously compete for the division crown.

The Patriots have an elite quarterback and one of the best head coaches of all time. The Bills need to play well on a consistent level in order to compete for the playoffs. As they proved last year, a good game plan and hard work can help them beat anybody and, for the sake of NFL fans, end the dominance of New England.

The Dolphins and Jets had their chances to dethrone New England. Miami barely did a few years back when Brady was injured. New York has beaten New England and given them fights. Unfortunately, no team has risen above and taken them out for good.

The Buffalo Bills have a golden opportunity in 2012. They have a mix of youth and experience and expect to make personnel improvements. If they can focus on improving their pass rush and passing game, there is no reason they cannot compete for the division title.

For goodness sake, I can't be the only one that loves seeing Brady, Bellicheck and the Patriots lose, can I?