SPORTS

The undefeated Patriots and Bills will face off this NFL Sunday

Sep 29, 2019, 10:07 AM

When games finish on Monday night, we'll already be a quarter of the way through the NFL season. Wi...

When games finish on Monday night, we'll already be a quarter of the way through the NFL season. With eight teams still undefeated, week four will be instrumental in determining the favorites to play in Super Bowl LIV in Miami Gardens, Florida in February. Photo courtesy of CNN

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts(CNN) — When games finish on Monday night, we’ll already be a quarter of the way through the NFL season. With eight teams still undefeated, week four will be instrumental in determining the favorites to play in Super Bowl LIV in Miami Gardens, Florida in February.

With an action-packed Sunday coming up, here are three things to watch for:

1. Undefeated Patriots take on Undefeated Bills

The New England Patriots 2007 run during the regular season is only second to the gold standard set by the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. However, it’s been tough road for coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, who’ve opened the season with four straight victories. If they defeat the Bills on Sunday, it’ll be only the fourth time the Patriots have opened the year 4-0 in the era of Belichick and Brady, and the first time since 2015.

For his part, Brady isn’t overlooking the Buffalo Bills. “They play well at home, it’s a great environment, so it’s pretty tough…this is going to be the toughest team we’ve faced, and we’re going to have to play a good game,” he said at his mid-week press conference on Wednesday.

On the other side of the ball, the Bills are having their best start since 2011. That’s not saying much, as those 3-0 Bills ended last season with a mediocre record of 6-10.

But third-year coach Sean McDermott is looking for at least a repeat of the 2017 season, which saw Buffalo’s first playoff game since 1999. But a 6-10 record last year’s performance left a bad taste in fans’ mouths, that is, until second-year quarterback Josh Allen helped pilot this year’s team to three straight victories.

Allen credits a stingy defense, one that is fifth in points per game allowed, for the early season success. “They (the defense) have been playing lights-out the past few games….we appreciate how hard they work and we have to be good on our end too,” he said at a press conference earlier this week.

Whatever is driving these wins, fans are here for it.

Watch: New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills: 1:00 pm ET on CBS

2. Rookie quarterbacks are back in action

Daniel Jones took over for Eli Manning in week three, and immediately led the New York Giants to a thrilling 32-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since last Sunday’s two-touchdown performance, his personalized jerseys sales spiked, according to NFL apparel provider Fanatics.

It’s a tough look for Super Bowl champion Manning. But he still has one fan: Jones. CBS Sports’ Brandon Tierney tweeted a photo of a much-younger Jones rocking Eli’s jersey.

Jones isn’t the only rookie taking the league by storm. Gardner Minshew, the mustachioed quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars jumped into the spotlight after replacing Nick Foles.

His legend and mustache continue to grow. Last week, he told the NFL that his facial hair started as a “silly thing” at camp in Washington State. “Everybody quit on me, so I said ‘screw y’all I’m doing this longer than everybody’ and here we are.”

The inevitable social media storm followed, and now the Minshew stache has its own hashtag, t-shirt and more.

Minshew’s reputation as a gun-slinging, wild man was furthered this week by meeting up with John Gries, the actor who played “Uncle Rico” in “Napoleon Dynamite.” Not only do the two resemble each other, but Rico’s claim in the movie that he could throw a football over a mountain definitely fits with the odd stories of the former Washington State signal-caller.

Watch: New York Giants vs Washington Redskins: 1:00 pm ET on Fox

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Denver Broncos: 4:25 pm ET on CBS

3. Kickers take aim

The much-maligned position of NFL kicker came under public scrutiny last season after former-Chicago Bear Cody Parkey’s missed kick — aka “Double Doink” — heard round the world. It hasn’t been much easier for kickers this season either.

Indianapolis Colts Adam Vinateri, one of the greatest kickers in the history of the league, saw his leg elude him in the opening two games of the season. But at least Vinateri wasn’t faced with an ad in the paper highlighting his miscues. That’s what happened to Tampa Bay kicker Matt Gay, whose missed kick allowed Daniel Jones his first win as a Giant. Following the game, Secret underarm deodorant placed an advertisement in the Tampa Bay Times mocking the Buccaneers for their field goal failures.

The ad features USA Soccer star Carli Lloyd, whose recent 55-yard training camp kick went viral. Lloyd aspires to become an NFL kicker in 2020, though Gay is hoping it won’t be his job she takes.

The rookie spoke to the media following his miss last week and said: “I was confident going into that kick…but I didn’t hit it clean, and it didn’t go in. I gotta live and learn…it’s not going to help to look back on this one.”

Watch: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Los Angeles Rams: 4:05 pm ET on Fox

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Sports

Utah drivers will be able to rep their favorite hockey team as the Utah Mammoth license plates are ...

Cole Bagley, Utah Mammoth Insider, KSL Sports

Utah Mammoth license plates now available at the DMV

Utah drivers will be able to rep their favorite hockey team as the Utah Mammoth license plates are now available to order through the DMV.

5 days ago

The Tafuna High School football team, a six-time champion in American Samoa, visited West High Scho...

Eric Cabrera

More than football: American Samoa powerhouse brings culture, connection to Utah players

The Tafuna High School football team, a six-time champion in American Samoa, visited West High School recently. The visit offered local Polynesian players a chance to see how Tafuna blends Samoan culture and tradition with football.

10 days ago

Utah's Rockwell Myers, middle, watches Gabriel Hayes of the Shawnee Tribe, right, cheers on other p...

Lauren Irwin, Deseret News

Utah teen named winner in Trump’s Patriot Games, receives 6-figure prize

Sixteen-year-old Rockwell Myers on Tuesday evening was named the winner among the male athletes who participated in the Patriot Games,

10 days ago

Goalkeeper's act of sportsmanship captures the spirit of MLS Unified All Star game as RSL duo shine...

Matthew Casey, KSL sports

Goalkeeper’s act of sportsmanship captures spirit of MLS Unified All-Star Game as RSL duo shines

Goalkeeper's act of sportsmanship captures the spirit of MLS Unified All Star game as RSL duo shines.

24 days ago

FILE: U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino hold the FIFA World Cup Winne...

Graham Dunbar, AP Sports Writer

European nations vow FIFA World Cup boycott over Infantino private equity plan as opposition spreads

UEFA member federations will boycott all FIFA competitions in protest of Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors.

24 days ago

Tori Pasquin at the 2026 United States Women's Disc Golf Championships in Brighton, Thursday. Pasqu...

Tyrese Boone, KSL

Women’s Disc Golf Championship tees off in Utah

The 2026 United States Women's Disc Golf Championship is bringing 363 competitors from around the world to Brighton Resort and three other courses across the Wasatch Front.

1 month ago

Sponsored Articles

Whether you are chasing pristine beaches, fresh raspberry shakes, or endless water sports, this spo...

Bear Lake

Road trip ready: How Bear Lake became the go-to destination for Western U.S. travelers

Whether you are chasing pristine beaches, fresh raspberry shakes, or endless water sports, this sponsored guide—brought to you in partnership with Bear Lake —uncovers everything you need to plan the ultimate getaway.

How Harper Clinic's IOP is changing the face of mental health treatment in Utah....

Harper Clinic

A new standard of care: How Harper Clinic’s IOP is changing the face of mental health treatment in Utah

As demand for mental health care continues to rise across Utah County, Orem's Harper Clinic says it is trying to close the gap with a more comprehensive approach to mental health treatment.

The weight of depression is real. Many people spend years fighting it, adjusting medications, manag...

Harper Clinic

Breaking free from depression: How Harper Clinic’s TMS Therapy can help

Breaking free from depression: How Harper Clinic's TMS Therapy can help.

mental health...

Andrew Adams, KSL

Library discussions bring men’s mental health to the surface

Therapists say it’s common for men to repress things like trauma, grief, stress and anxiety. Now, a new weekly series of discussions aims to help men bring it all to the surface.

...

Bear Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

Cozy up in Bear Lake: Discover the magic of a winter getaway

SALT LAKE CITY – The holiday season shines brightest when time slows down and loved ones gather. Gifts, decorations and festive music come and go, but shared experiences tend to last much longer. Research supports that idea. Dr. Theresa E. DiDonato told Psychology Today that vacations can strengthen relationships by creating meaningful time away from daily […]

...

Harper Clinic

Rewriting the path to healing: Inside Harper Clinic’s whole-person mental health model

OREM — A few decades ago, you’d have had a hard time finding a doctor to treat both your mind and body; And a century ago, you’d have been hard-pressed to find a doctor to treat your mind at all. Today, medical professionals are understanding more and more the undeniable connection between the body and […]

The undefeated Patriots and Bills will face off this NFL Sunday