ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Here are my five thoughts on the Buffalo Bills ’ game against the New England Patriots Sunday at Gillette Stadium:

1. This is more than a Week 15 rematch. This is, for all practical purposes, a playoff encounter.

For the Bills, it’s no exaggeration to say it could very well ignite a push that leads all the way to the Super Bowl.

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Winning would have the multi-pronged impact of:

Denying the Patriots from taking the divisional crown the Bills have owned for the past five seasons

Keeping Buffalo in play for a sixth consecutive AFC East title

Providing the emotional/psychological lift of knocking off one of the hotter teams in the NFL and firmly reestablishing the Bills as the top contender they were exp

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