5 Bold Predictions for New England Patriots' Week 2 Matchup

It's not every year a Week 2 contest with a 1 p.m. ET kickoff can feel like a prime-time, heavyweight matchup. But that's exactly what we have on our hands when the Buffalo Bills play host to the New England Patriots on Sunday.

This could be one of the most exciting games on the schedule. Surely, any Patriots fan can recall plenty of matchups between the Patriots and the Bills, also between the Patriots and head coach Rex Ryan, that have gone down to the wire.

It will be interesting to see how these two teams attack one another. One would expect Ryan will stick with the game plans that helped him give the Patriots such a tough time over the past few years, but who knows? 

Here's a handful of bold predictions for Sunday's AFC East showdown.

Tom Brady Will Be Sacked Just Once

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Conventional wisdom would tell you Rex Ryan would send the kitchen sink at Tom Brady in the hopes of flustering the Patriots quarterback.

A look at recent history, however, tells a much different story. Ryan has abandoned his blitz-happy ways when facing off against the four-time Super Bowl champion and three-time Super Bowl MVP. According to Pro Football Focus, Ryan has blitzed Brady just 22.5 percent of the time in the previous three meetings between the two.

Things could always be a little different with the Bills, but Ryan has been successful with the less aggressive strategy. The Bills will probably focus less on pressure and more on coverage, which could lead to fewer sacks of Brady.

The Patriots Will Earn Under 60 Rushing Yards

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The Patriots practically abandoned the run against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, and now is not a good time for them to suddenly go back to the ground game.

The Bills defense has been one of the league's best at stopping the run since last season, when they finished as the 11th-ranked run defense. The Bills gave up under 60 rushing yards in two games last year, and one of them was against the Patriots.

It's more likely the Patriots will stick to their guns and air the ball out, hoping to create mismatches in the passing game rather then trying in vain to run the ball into the teeth of a Bills defensive line that features Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams plugging up the middle.

Malcolm Butler Will Intercept 2 Passes

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The Patriots put a lot of faith in cornerback Malcolm Butler by putting him one-on-one against Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown in Week 1.

Things did not go well for Butler, who allowed 10 completions on 11 throws in that game, according to Pro Football Focus. However, there's still plenty of time left this season for Butler to turn things around. What better way to get started than in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills?

Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor played a highly efficient game last time out, completing 14 of his 19 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. The question is, can he stay that efficient against the Patriots, who will likely force Taylor to beat them from the pocket rather than allowing him to scramble all over the backfield and into their secondary?

If Butler can play sticky coverage for 60 minutes or bait Taylor into one or two ill-advised throws, it could be the difference in the game.

LeSean McCoy Will Not Rush for More Than 50 Yards

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Attack an opponent's strengths and force them to beat you with their left hand.

That's been the strategy for the Patriots under Bill Belichick for years, and that strategy figures to continue on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots coaches have been preaching gap integrity all week long; forcing Tyrod Taylor to stay in the pocket is a key to victory.

But that strategy has another benefit because it will allow the Patriots defense to play a more stout run defense against running back LeSean McCoy. The 2013 leading rusher is one of the Bills' most explosive play making threats in both the running game and the passing game.

In a perfect world, he would be the centerpiece for the Bills offense week in and week out. We all know how much Rex Ryan loves the ground-and-pound mentality on offense. The Patriots know it too, so their best bet is to take away the running game and force the ball into Taylor's hands.

The Patriots Will Win on a Last-Second Field Goal

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Any time the Patriots take on the Bills, the game always seems to come down to the last minute. The same could also be said for any time the Patriots have faced off against a team coached by Rex Ryan.

Why would we expect this week to be any different?

The two teams will trade blows for four quarters, leading to a small margin heading into the final minutes. Whichever team has the ball at the end of the game is likely going to have an opportunity to put the game away and clinch a victory on a last-second field goal.

Unless otherwise noted, all advanced stats obtained via Pro Football Focus.