Who has the edge on MNF - Patriots or Bills?

Yahoo Sports' Scott Pianowski and Frank Schwab discuss Monday's contest between New England and Buffalo.

Video Transcript

SCOTT PIANOWSKI: One of the sneaky valuable guys on this team is Nick Folk. He's missed two kicks all season and one of them was that controversial should they even try it long kick in the rain against Tampa Bay.

Anyway, they finally get their first of two showdowns with Buffalo. It's the Monday Night game. The Bills are two-and-a-half point favorites. They've been kind of Jekyll and Hyde lately, but they certainly brought the wood at New Orleans and won that game convincingly.

Josh Allen is two and three in the Belichick series. He did win both games last year, and he played very well in the second game. The first game was the game where Newton fumbled to Buffalo. Patriots probably with the right side that day.

Whoever wins this has a big leg up in winning the AFC East by My lean is to Belichick to sell. Love how this defense is playing both teams, by the way. I think they're one and two in DVOA defense.

I think Belichick can maybe get in Allen's head, and I don't trust Buffalo's running game. What's your lean on the Monday Nighter?

FRANK SCHWAB: Yeah, I like the Patriots. I like the points. I like moneyline. I think they're a better team right now.

I trash them after Davis Mills threw for like 318 yards on them and said this is not a playoff team what are we doing here. And they've been unbelievable since then. I mean, their defense is fantastic, and you could just tell this is the type of team Belichick really enjoys.

I don't know if you've been watching "Man In The Arena" but I've worked through the 2004 season to now, and you're reminded that he doesn't necessarily love the teams that have a ton of stars and a ton of-- yeah, he likes, hey, I like this guy in this spot and this in and this spot.

Matt Judon is a versatile guy who could do this than that, and it just all the pieces seem to fit, especially on defense. The offense I think is good enough. They're really coming along to receivers start to get involved. Like Rhamondre Stevenson adds something to the running game along with Damien Harris.

I just think the Patriots are a better team. We we've talked about this over and over Scott, and I finally came around. And I finally started to catch some bets against this, but what if the Bills done to really deserve the respect they're getting?

They were Super Bowl favorites as of a couple of weeks ago before they lost to the Colts. And every week they seem to be one of the darlings-- you know, one of the teams that's laying a ton of points. And I just look at them, and I've been kind of nonplussed all season.

They've beat a lot of bad teams, but what really is on the resume? That win against Kansas City OK, I get it. It's important. It was big at the time, but not great. So this is as much of a fate of the Bills to me as it is a pick with the Patriots.

I'm just not I'm just not that excited about the Bills yet, and they could do the Buccaneers thing and turn it on in the last few weeks here and win a Super Bowl. They still have that upside, but I haven't seen it yet. I don't know why I'm going to take them against the Patriots, who won six in a row.

SCOTT PIANOWSKI: It's funny how often when New England when they say goodbye to a major factor in their secondary as they do this year, also J.C. Jackson steps up, and he's having a Pro Bowl season. And the Bills just lost their cover ace in Tre'Davious white he's out for the season now.

You might say so what with New England skill talent, but, you know, for all the catcalls when Belichick went out, and he did his door Buster sales where he went out and bought a bunch of free agents. People wre like really? Kendrick Bourne? Kendrick Bourne looks pretty good the last few weeks.

They're getting mileage out of Hunter Henry. He's a specialty player. He's kind of like a goal line specialist, but he stayed healthy. I don't know. I agree this is a Belichick team. This is the type of team he likes.

The tagline of the movie "The Player was no stars just talent, and I think Belichick likes that. If he can have a team of Troy Browns and Deion Branches and Mike Vrabels, I think he'd rather have that than the Uber superstars. And maybe it's easier to coach a team like that.

FRANK SCHWAB: Yeah. I mean, this team is obviously bought in, and I mean, defensively, it's just all of their pieces fit correctly. They can do so many multiple things because they have smart guys on defense and versatile guys on defense. They can throw a lot of looks at you, and Josh Allen just hasn't been the same dude.

Like I wanted Josh Allen to be that guy. I bet on him winning MVP. I bet on the Bills winning a Super Bowl, and he's been fine. Like there's nothing wrong with Josh Allen, but he's not exactly the guy who you're like, yeah, that guy going to torch number one DVOA defense run by Bill Belichick. I just don't buy that.