Patriots vs. Bills: 5 Keys to a New England Win in Week 17

As the New England Patriots have already wrapped up the AFC East title and a first-round bye in the playoffs, the only thing left to play for is the No. 1 overall seed.

And the only thing standing in their way is the Buffalo Bills, who lost seven straight games before their watch read "Tebow Time" and they dismantled the Broncos, 40-14. The Bills have been up and down this season thanks to an offense that has been inconsistently good and a defense that has been consistently awful.

Here are some of the things the Patriots can do to ensure a victory.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter.

Protect the Football

When the Bills have won this season, it's been because their defense was able to generate turnovers. The Bill still rank fourth in interceptions (20) and total turnovers (30) on the season. The Patriots were generous in that department the last time these two teams met, specifically Tom Brady, who may as well have put on a Santa hat that day in September when he threw an uncharacteristic four interceptions.

The same team that set a record for fewest turnovers in NFL history last season with 10 was the same team that had 14 turnovers by Week 9. That, of course, is the same team that has turned the ball over just twice since then.

But for the Bills, turnovers are about the only thing they do well. They rank 27th in defensive passer rating (92.01), according to Cold, Hard Football Facts, and rank in the bottom five in the NFL against the run. If the Patriots can avoid turning it over, they will be playing into one of their own greatest strengths while avoiding playing into one of Buffalo's.

Exploit Bufallo's Lack of a Pass Rush

The Bills haven't exactly been one of the league's best at pressuring the quarterback, registering 24 sacks and ranking second worst (31st) in the NFL. And Brady has only been pressured by the league's better pass rushers this season, a feature Buffalo cannot claim to possess. 

The Patriots have given up 28 sacks this season, with 14 of them coming in a four-week span—vs. Jets, vs. Cowboys, at Steelers, vs. Giants.

That being said, the Patriots have sustained a rash of injuries on the offensive line to guard Logan Mankins and tackles Sebastian Vollmer and Matt Light. Although all three should be healthy for the playoffs, the Patriots will need to protect Brady with backups against the Bills.

The more time Brady has in the pocket, the more time he can ultimately read the defense and find the weaknesses and mismatches in the secondary.

Find Rob Gronkowski

In case you hadn't already heard, Rob Gronkowski is a monster. In case you need proof of that, let these numbers suffice: 82 receptions on 111 targets (only seven drops), 1,219 yards, 15 touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 141.5 on throws in his direction.

Not to mention he's a complete matchup nightmare for the Bills. In case you need proof of that, how's 14 receptions for 206 yards and five touchdowns work for you? In their last meeting, Gronkowski had seven receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns and was noticeably absent when the Bills stormed back. He had just two of those seven receptions in the second half.

The fact of the matter is, Gronkowski is one of the two best weapons the Patriots have on offense, and is also one which the Bills struggle the most to stop. It's easy to see why he should be a central piece to the game plan on Sunday.

Shut Down C.J. Spiller

The Bills caught a very unlucky break when Fred Jackson was put on IR, but C.J. Spiller has shown some signs of life in Buffalo's backfield in recent weeks. He is averaging 6.1 yards per carry in his previous four games and has scored a rushing touchdown in three of those contests. He has also totaled 463 yards from scrimmage in that time.

The Patriots have struggled in recent weeks against the run, which is of note because they have struggled all season long against the pass. In their past three games, they've given up a total of 537 yards on 92 carries for an average of 5.8 yards per carry against them.

One underrated aspect of Spiller's game is his abilities as a pass catcher out of the backfield. He had nine receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins two weeks ago, and the Patriots have given up some plays to opposing backs out of the backfield this season.

The Patriots could certainly use to devote some extra resources to stopping the run, which would force Ryan Fitzpatrick to beat them through the air. The way he's been playing recently, that's not likely.

Play Hungry

The Patriots came out flat against the Dolphins, but they came out of the locker room fired up. They can't wait until the second half to realize the game has started every week, and they'd be better off if they hit the ground running (or throwing).

The first overall seed is still within reach, but the Bills could be the spoiler that ruins it. If New England wants to avoid a letdown, they need to realize that this is their house, and that they have to be able to defend it if they want to do damage in the playoffs.