NFL Hits Patriots With Hefty Fines

The NFL has hit the New England Patriots with multiple fines before Week 16.

Nov 3, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. (91) warms up before a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are set to face off on the road against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16 NFL action.

Coming into this week's game with a 3-11 record, the Patriots are a huge underdog against a Bills team that many think could win a Super Bowl. More than likely, New England will exit this week with a 3-12 record and take another step towards a top-three pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

With that being said, the NFL came down hard on the Patriots with multiple fines before this week's game.

First up, running back Antonio Gibson was fined $14,805 for an Unncessary Roughness penalty due to the use of his helmet. Also, Deatrich Wise received a $16,883 fine for a horse-collar tackle.

Both of those plays were expected to result in fines and sure enough they did.

Looking ahead to tomorrow's game, New England will have its hands full. Josh Allen is likely going to end up winning the NFL MVP award and the Bills are coming off of back-to-back games with 42 and 48 points respectively.

Trying to slow down the lethal Buffalo offense is not going to be easy for a Patriots' defense that has struggled this year.

Offensively, Drake Maye and company need to take care of the football. The Bills' defense has given up 44 and 42 points in their last two games. New England will have a chance to score some points.

At the very least, the team needs to show fight and compete hard. No one expects them to win this game, which means that they are facing zero pressure. The Patriots simply need to go out there, have fun, and play hard.

Losing is not the worst thing in the world for the future of the franchise. Being able to land a top-three pick could help them speed up their rebuilding process.

All of that being said, it will be interesting to see how New England looks this week. Buffalo is a top-tier Super Bowl contender and making a game out of this one would be a big morale lift for the Patriots.

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