The Bills make their way to Foxboro in position to sweep this always-interesting AFC East rivalry.

Four weeks ago at Ralph Wilson Stadium (Week 12), Bills' QB Doug Flutie threw for 207 yards and a pair of scores and Buffalo's defense sacked Patriots' QB Drew Bledsoe 6 times as Wade Phillips' team posted a 17-7 triumph.

Despite this year's earlier loss, the Patriots own a 41-37-1 advantage in the overall standings (including a playoff win way back in 1963) and have been the better team as of late, prevailing in 7 of the last 10 meetings dating back to the clubs' second encounter in 1994.

As for the Bills' last visit to Foxboro (Week 13 of '98), New England jumped out to a 14-0 second-quarter lead but eventually fell behind, 21-17, when Bills' QB Doug Flutie threw a 4-yard TD pass to WR Andre Reed with 6:14 remaining. However, the Patriots engineered a last-second miracle as Bledsoe threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to TE Ben Coates with no time on the clock (set up by a controversial pass interference call on Bills' SS Henry Jones on a pass attempt into the end zone on the final play of regulation) and PK Adam Vinatieri ran for an uncontested two-point conversion as Pete Carroll's club pulled out an amazing 25-21 victory.

The Bills have dropped four straight at Foxboro dating back to 1995, this after winning three in a row at New England from 1992-94.

Numbers: The Bills have committed 10 turnovers and allowed 11 sacks in nine wins while committing 14 turnovers and allowing 15 sacks in five losses in '99. They have allowed 100 points in nine wins, 113 points in five losses in '99. The Bills have limited the opposition to fewer than 100 yards rushing in seven straight games.

In his last six games (1-5), Patriots' QB Drew Bledsoe has completed just 116-of-222 passes (52.3 percent) for 1,462 yards, five touchdowns and 16 interceptions, this after completing 164-of-271 passes (60.5 percent) for 2,314 yards, 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions in his first eight contests (6-2) in '99. The Patriots have committed seven turnovers in seven wins, 24 turnovers in seven losses in '99. They have been limited to 17 or fewer points in six straight games.

Things to look for: Wade Phillips' team went back to basics in the desert last week and it paid off with a crucial victory for their playoff hopes. There will be no postseason plans for the Patriots, who continued their miserable play with a horrific effort at Philadelphia. And while this has been a very intense rivalry in recent years, it remains to be seen if Pete Carroll's club has the motivation to play spoiler.

Etc.: The Patriots (4-0) are the 10th team in the 1990s to start a season 3-0 or better and failed to make the playoffs, and the first team since the 1996 Chiefs (4-0) to open a season 4-0 or better and not qualify for the postseason. The Bills are 67-31 (including 3-1 in playoffs) vs. AFC East competition since 1988, however they are just 25-22 vs. divisional foes since 1994 (including playoffs). Including playoffs, the Patriots are 20-10 in their last 30 games vs. divisional competition (1-0 in playoffs) dating back to Week 8 of 1996 (4 of those losses to the Jets), but have lost five straight games vs. AFC East foes.

Bills WR Andre Reed (13,072) needs 17 yards to tie Steve Largent (13,089) for 4th place on the NFL's all-time receiving yardage list. Reed (936) needs four catches to tie Art Monk (940) for 2nd place on the NFL's all-time receptions list. Reed (86) needs two touchdown catches to tie Don Maynard (88) for 5th place on the NFL's all-time touchdown receptions list. Reed (87) needs one touchdown to tie Don Maynard (88) for 19th place on the NFL's all-time touchdowns scored list. RB Thurman Thomas (87) needs one touchdown to tie Don Maynard (88) for 19th place on the NFL's all-time touchdowns scored list.