Christmas is still a few weeks away, but NFL fans get an early gift as this week's "Monday Night Football" features a mouth-watering matchup.
The red-hot New England Patriots (8-4) travel to Western New York to face the Buffalo Bills (7-4) in a meeting of the top two teams in the AFC East. Both teams are legitimate contenders to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, so Monday's encounter acts as a potential playoff preview.
The fact that the Bills are ensconced in the playoff hunt is no surprise given their stellar season last year. Buffalo was always expected to compete for the divisional title this season, so seeing Josh Allen and Co. near the top of the standings is an expected occurence.
The same cannot be said for the Patriots, who flailed last season without Tom Brady taking snaps and seemed to be headed for another rebuilding season this year. However, six straight wins have shot the Pats straight up to the top of the division, with rookie quarterback Mac Jones seamlessly filling the considerable void left by Brady.
Now, Jones and the Patriots come up against one of their bigger challenges of the season in a Buffalo team that was expected to claim the AFC East with relative ease. Instead, the Pats have leapfrogged the Bills atop the East and Monday's game will be the first of two meetings this month for divisional superiority.
Here's more info about the game, plus everything to know about how to watch "Monday Night Football."
Who plays on "Monday Night Football" this week?
- Matchup: Patriots vs. Bills
- Location: Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY.
The Patriots leads the all-time series, 76-45-1.
What time is the Patriots vs. Bills game?
- Date: Monday, December 6
- Kickoff time: 8:15 p.m. ET
The 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff time is standard for Monday night games.
How to watch "Monday Night Football" in Canada: TV, live stream
- TV channel: TSN
- Live stream: DAZN
Patriots vs. Bills — like every NFL game during the 2021 season — is available on DAZN Canada.
DAZN Canada is the only place to watch NFL Game Pass, with access to every regular-season NFL game (including Monday, Thursday, Sunday afternoon via NFL Sunday Ticket, and Sunday night games) and every playoff matchup. Each game is available live and on demand.
DAZN Canada is also where NFL fans can watch RedZone — every touchdown, every game, every Sunday.
The "Monday Night Football" game between the Patriots vs. Bills is also available on TSN.