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FOXBOROUGH Jaquan Johnson NFL Draft , Mass. (AP) — For nine straight years, the final few weeks of the regular season for the Patriots have included the celebration of an AFC East title and typically an accompanying first-round bye in the playoffs.New England can lock up a 10th consecutive division crown Sunday with a win or tie against Buffalo, or a Miami loss or tie when it hosts Jacksonville. The Patriots would also become the first franchise in NFL history to earn a playoff berth in 10 straight seasons.But they enter the final two weeks of the regular season needing help to avoid playing in the wild-card round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009.Following back-to-back losses at Miami and Pittsburgh , New England (9-5) began Week 16 on track to be the No. 3 seed in the AFC behind Kansas City (11-3) and Houston (10-4).The Patriots have not been a wild-card team since 2009, when they were blown out by Baltimore. They also failed to make it to the Super Bowl the other two times under coach Bill Belichick (2005 and 2006) that they played during the opening weekend of the postseason. New England has never started the postseason on the road with Belichick the coach and Tom Brady the quarterback.The first step to New England avoiding those fates is by continuing its dominance against the Bills (5-9), a team it has beaten four straight times — including a 25-6 win at Buffalo in October. It was one of the few successes the Patriots had on the road this season, where they’ve gone just 3-5.While they will be at home Sunday and for their regular-season finale on Dec. 30 against the Jets, coach Bill Belichick is not counting it as an advantage.“I think playing well creates an advantage,” he said.New England is as healthy as it’s been all season, but will have to adapt after receiver Josh Gordon was suspended indefinitely by the NFL on Thursday for violating an agreement that allowed him to play after multiple drug suspensions.Gordon was thriving in New England, where he landed in September in a trade after the Browns felt it was time to cut ties. In 11 starts with the Patriots, he had 40 receptions for 720 yards and three touchdowns, five years removed from an All-Pro season in 2013 with 87 catches for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns.Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said Buffalo, which is coming off a close win over Detroit last week, is embracing the role of spoiler.“It’s huge,” Alexander said. “Obviously, they’ve been the standard of our division for the last 15 years, and they’re in the division chase. So for us to go up there and be able to beat them would be huge obviously for this city Jaquan Johnson Buffalo Bills Jersey , for our team and organization. Because they’re a team that’s really had our number since I’ve been here.”Here are some things to watch for in Sunday’s game:WHO STEPS UP?With Gordon out, Brady will be looking for someone to fill his production for the remainder of the season. That will likely mean a lot more will be put on veteran receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski, though both struggled at times this season. Edelman has 63 catches for 711 yards and four touchdowns, while Gronkowski has 45 catches for 658 yards and three TDs.But Gronk was limited again this week by ankle and back issues. And between them, they have just two touchdowns over the past three games.OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTWith rookie quarterback Josh Allen back on the field for four games since missing four with a sprained right elbow, the Bills’ offense is improving despite RB LeSean McCoy’s ongoing struggles.Allen is 57 for 114 for 801 yards, four TDs and four INTs in in his last four starts. Meanwhile, the Bills have topped 100 yards rushing in five straight games, matching last season’s high.McCoy has topped 100 yards just once — 113 yards and two touchdowns — in a 41-10 win at the New York Jets on Nov. 11. Otherwise, with 479 yards rushing, he’s in jeopardy of finishing with the lowest production of his career. He had 637 yards as a rookie in 2009, when he had four starts in 16 games.CHARTING BRADYBrady owns a 29-3 record against Bills. His 29 wins against Buffalo are the most victories by a quarterback against a single opponent. Next is Brady’s 26 wins against Jets.Brady passed for 324 yards in the last meeting with Buffalo and needs 21 to join Peyton Manning (14) and Drew Brees (12) as quarterbacks with 10 seasons of 4,000-plus yards passing. When the NFL season began, a Week 10 matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field in Orchard Park, N.Y., would have been considered humdrum, ho-hum and just about anything else that means underwhelming and turn the channel.Neither team was expected to make a playoff push. The Saints finished 7-9 the previous three seasons, missing the postseason each time. The Bills had not made the playoffs in 17 consecutive seasons, making them the only U.S. professional sports franchise with an 0-for-17 21st century.Fast forward to Sunday. When the 6-2 Saints put their six-game winning streak on the line against the 5-3 Bills Color Rush Jaquan Johnson Jersey , who are perfect in four home games this season and one of only six AFC teams above .500, there will be a genuine playoff buzz about two teams performing well above their pay grade.“It’s certainly better to be 6-2 than where we’ve been in the past at this point in the season for the last three years,” said New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who in eight games has completed a league-high 71.6 percent of his passes for 276.8 yards a game, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. “I love the competitive nature that has been cultivated here and the way the guys enjoy being around each other and the way they push one another.“I’m such a routine-oriented guy and get caught up in that all week long, but I have after games tried to look around and enjoy the roses a little bit because it’s fun to win. It’s fun to see guys excited. It’s fun to get back on that plane from that road trip after a big win and be able to celebrate with your teammates. It’s a great feeling. I hope we keep it going.”The Saints have compiled their longest winning streak since 2011 with an incredibly balanced approach on offense and a young, marauding defense. Through eight games, Brees is attempting just 34.4 passes a game compared to 42.1 attempts in 2016.After watching the Atlanta Falcons dominate the NFC South last year and advance to the Super Bowl with a leaner, quicker defense and an explosive offense, the Saints made a conscious decision in the offseason to pound the ball, knowing that would match up well against Atlanta’s fast-but-light defense.The Saints have yet to play the Falcons this year, but the emphasis on run-pass balance has made New Orleans steadier and more protective of the ball. They have committed just nine turnovers this season compared to 24 a year ago. Brees has thrown four interceptions at the halfway point compared to 15 all last season. Running the ball is something coach Sean Payton has stressed.“I think compared to last season, I would completely agree,” Payton said. “We felt we would be improved rushing the football this year, and certainly we made a concerted effort, and it was a point of emphasis, and we have to continue to do that. Part of it is when you’re playing in games and you have maybe a two-score lead, maybe your rushing numbers go up. I always like when (people) say, ‘Hey Youth Jaquan Johnson Jersey , if you just attempt to rush the ball 30 times you win,’ but there is a method, and sometimes that’s a result of what you’ve done earlier.”The Bills are coming off a sloppy 34-21 loss at the New York Jets last Thursday, but they have been perfect at home and have had three extra days of rest. Coach Sean McDermott also expects to be able to use wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, acquired in a trade with Carolina.Benjamin is still learning the Bills’ offensive system and how to get his timing down with quarterback Tyrod Taylor, but he is a big-play weapon whom the Saints are familiar with, as they play the Panthers twice a year.“Right now, it looks like he’ll be ready to go,” McDermott said. “He’s done a good job of getting himself up to speed to this point.”Taylor said of Benjamin, “If you look at the plays he’s made over his career, he’s definitely made a bunch of contested (catches). We’ve talked to try to get on the same page. Just give him a chance. It’s his ball or nobody’s ball.”The Bills got some encouraging news on the injury front as cornerback E.J. Gaines (hamstring) and tight end Charles Clay (knee) returned to limited practice, but left tackle Cordy Glenn is still experiencing foot and ankle soreness. Receiver Zay Jones is nursing an ankle injury.The Saints went without safety Kenny Vaccaro (groin) and left tackle Terron Armstead on Wednesday, but left guard Larry Warford (abdomen) went through limited practiced for the first time in several weeks. Receiver Michael Thomas, who leads the Saints with 50 catches for 545 yards, and defensive end Alex Okafor were limited with ankle injuries.