AFC East notebook: Osweiler, not Manning, stands in Patriots' way of 11-0
At one point, the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos were both sitting at 7-0 with all eyes on a pivotal Week 12 matchup between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Things have changed, to say the least.
The Broncos are 8-2 and will play host to Brady and the Patriots, but they'll do so without Manning on Sunday. Instead, Brock Osweiler will be at the helm, leading Denver against the 10-0 Patriots. The game may not have as much anticipation without Manning, but some believe the Broncos have a better chance of upsetting New England with Osweiler.
Whether that's true remains to be seen, but the young quarterback played well in his first career start, completing 74 percent of his passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Chicago bears. Most importantly, he didn't turn the ball over, something Manning had done in every game this season. That alone, gives the Broncos a fighting chance, but it still may not be enough.
The Patriots flexed their muscles on Monday night against the Buffalo Bills, specifically on defense. Without Jamie Collins, the Patriots still held the high-powered Bills offense to 13 points. One player who played a huge role in doing so was Malcolm Butler. He held Sammy Watkins in check all game, visibly frustrating him for four quarters. Watkins caught three passes for 39 yards on seven targets with Butler following him around the field on just about every play.
With Butler playing as well as he is of late, Demaryius Thomas could be in for a long day. The second-year cornerback will almost certainly shadow him wherever he goes, making it a challenge for Osweiler to get him the ball.
Dolphins, Jets square off in must-win showdown
There's little doubt that the Patriots are going to win the AFC East with a five-game cushion and six weeks to go, but the rest of the division is fighting for a wild-card berth. The Bills and New York Jets are tied at 5-5, while the Miami Dolphins are in last at 4-6. On Sunday, the Jets and Dolphins will meet in the Meadowlands in what's just about a must-win game for both.
The Dolphins have struggled to find their identity coming off a game in which Lamar Miller carried the ball seven times. In a close game, that's a bit shocking given the fact that he rushed for 44 yards on those seven carries.
On the other side, it's Ryan Fitzpatrick struggling for the Jets. His poor play has raised questions about possibly benching him, but Todd Bowles has chosen to stick by his quarterback. He'll need to solve his woes if the Jets hope to not only win this game but make a run at the playoffs.
If the Dolphins drop this game, they'll find themselves two games behind the Jets. At that point, Dan Campbell's odds of returning for another year would become slimmer than they already are and could lead to a lot of cause for concern in the front office.
Injury issues rise again for Bills
Not only did the Bills lose to the Patriots for the second time this season, but they also suffered several key injuries. Tyrod Taylor injured his shoulder, though he was able to stay in the game. Rex Ryan said he has "no idea" if he'll be able to play on Sunday against the Chiefs, putting his availability in question.
Additionally, Charles Clay, Mario Williams, and John Miller all were hurt at one point, as well, leaving holes at several positions. Fortunately, Sammy Watkins and LeSean McCoy made it out unscathed, but losing Williams and Clay could be big blows on both sides of the ball.
Taylor played extremely well against a great Patriots defense even though the Bills didn't get the win. Having to go with EJ Manuel over Taylor would be far from ideal and greatly hurt the Bills' chances of knocking off the Chiefs.
