Bills' Bay Day Gives Patriots Path to AFC East Lead - Best of NFL Week 10
- Published:
- Comments: 3
Week 10 once more provided excitement, with a major surprise for the Bills proving the 'any given Sunday' mantra that draws so many people into the NFL
That result could have created things up for the New England Patriots to creep back into a leading position they used to occupy, with a schedule that provides them an advantage over their eight and two competitors
Over in the National Football Conference the Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams had ideal outcomes to set up a major confrontation in week 11, while our top performer is chasing records as well as the Most Valuable Player award
The Breakdown - Just a Bad Day for Buffalo?
Was it just an emotional comedown from defeating Kansas City the previous week or something more? That's the question for the Bills to address
The Bills had won seven in a row against the Dolphins but were second best from the start as the Dolphins emerged as 30-13 winners in an surprising outcome - and display
MVP quarterback Josh Allen only got the squad's initial first down in the third period and initial scoring in the fourth - admittedly Miami had 10 days to prepare but it was still a significant failure produced by one of the league's best offenses
Dolphins quarterback Tua passed for two scores but rusher De'Von Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 combined yards and two scores
Bottling up the league's best rushing attack was also key, with Cook and company recording just 86 yards, their lowest of the year and just over fifty percent their 161.5-yard average
Then there were the three critical turnovers, and the two from Josh Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area meaning a nine minute drive yielded no points, and his final quarter fumble that Miami converted to a touchdown just two plays
It was typical 'old Buffalo' as they shot themselves in the foot, getting into a deficit on defensive side and Josh Allen trying to overcompensate to rescue his squad out of it - not the calm, controlled, balanced Buffalo team we've seen this season
Miami have served up a varied performances this year so the jury's out on if this is the beginning of a trend, but for Buffalo they'll need an immediate bounce-back in a difficult matchup against the Buccaneers next week as the Patriots are sneaking into a comfortable advantage at the summit of the AFC East
Spotlight - New England See Path to Unexpected First Place
Speaking of the New England, they're among three 8-2 teams in the NFL, all American Football Conference teams, but could they be the top team?
You can find flaws in New England, the Broncos and Indianapolis actually for dominating the lesser sides, with only five of their total twenty-four victories coming against opponents with a winning record - and one of those was the Colts defeating the Denver
The Broncos beat the reigning champion Eagles in Philly and are masters of the final quarter while Indianapolis can ride Taylor, but the Patriots including Sunday's win in Tampa to their prime time success in Orchard Park appears to be a statement
Their two defeats occurred in recently appointed coach Vrabel's first three games, with seven straight victories, similar to the Broncos, from that point - but defeating Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a week off to get ready was huge
Drake Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he certainly earns point for courage after absorbing some savage hits in Tampa but persevering to guide his team to success
The defense is solid and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson burst onto the scene on game day with 147 yards and two exhilerating touchdowns of 55 and 69 yards - establishing himself as just the fifth ball carrier to exceed 22mph this year on his initial touchdown
Although you can argue who 'the top team' is statistically, the Pats should be favourites to end with the best record due to their schedule - which includes just one game against a successful opponent, although a huge one against the Bills
Traveling to the Ravens is also tough, but the Broncos have it even tougher in the AFC West with the Chiefs to face two times, the Los Angeles Chargers (who could also challenge for top seed but encounter the same problem) and also the Packers on the schedule
The Indianapolis also play the Kansas City, and have the Seahawks, 49ers and two matchups with the 5-4 Jaguars to face. There is a long way to travel but the door is available for a surprise top seed in the AFC
Next Week - Rams & Seahawks Set for Next Week Showdown
Both squads with solid claims to be superior to all of the three eight and two sides are NFC West opponents the Seahawks and Rams, who both scored 40 burgers to go to 7-2 before the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster meeting between the two in LA
They've both secured four victories in a consecutive games, have signal callers in Stafford and Sam Darnold performing at an high standard (although Darnold had ball security problems on Sunday) with excellent pass catchers, and defenses giving up under 20 points a contest
Each could easily be without a loss as well - particularly the Rams as their pair of losses came in extra time against the 49ers and then that painful defeat in Philadelphia when they had a game-winning field goal with the final play blocked and run back by the Philadelphia for a touchdown
Seattle were also defeated to San Francisco, with a late touchdown in week one, before losing to the final play of the game against the Tampa Bay - so they're truly among the top teams in the league
The upcoming game on Sunday could be the best of the season so far
Top Performer - Taylor
Jonathan Taylor could be on for a record season after his remarkable performance in Berlin - rushing for 244 yards, scoring three scores and contributing an additional 42 {receiving yards