There have been quite a few close games between these two teams with the notable exception of 2003. The Bills have yet to show that they can pull out any of these "close" games. And while the Bills may have gotten better, so did the Pats. I think this board forgets all the injuries the Pats had last year and the fact they may have two of the best lines in the AFC.
As I mentioned before the LB siuation is well in hand. We have Banta-Cain ready to step in with Colvin, Vrabel, and Bruschi, and now a vet in Seau to spell the others. McGinest is a loss, but not a big one, he has been on the back 9 for awhile now. We will also be playing a bit more 4-3 this year with the emergency of Warren, Wilfork and Seymour - big 1-2-3 punch and second year player Wright along with Green.
That was two years ago, that ship has sailed and the Pats are more than ready (and have dealt with it). Funny how no one here calls Boston "beantown" except tourists.
I've made this point a ton of times, but I could be talking to a pole. The Pats offense does not use WR like other teams. This is a spread offense based on a multitude of options. We haven't had a 1000 yard reciever in 5 years. Another point, good WRs don't make good DBs in camp. I have no clue where you got that from. It's up to the skill of the player and the coaches. Is it an issue? Sure, but not enough to be a negative against all the other areas the team has improved in. I think the addition of Maroney more than makes up for the loss of Givens - strictly talking pluses and minuses.
Pats win 12-14 games this year, and take the division easily. 2002 was a bit different because Pats caught lightning in a bottle in 2001, and weren't actually finished rebuilding. 2002 decline and subsequent great seasons in 2003 and 2004 clearly show this. In final to suggest that the patriots are imploding, its just far off - after one season where they were a few plays from having a home AFC championship game against a team they match up with very well.