Buffalo's Disappointing Performance Gives Patriots Path to Top Spot - Best of Week 10 NFL Action
- Published:
- Comments: 3
Week 10 once more provided excitement, with a huge upset for the Buffalo Bills demonstrating the 'any given Sunday' saying that attracts so many fans into the NFL
That result may have opened opportunities for the New England Patriots to creep back into a top spot they used to occupy, with a schedule that provides them an advantage over their 8-2 rivals
Over in the NFC the Seahawks and Rams had perfect results to arrange a major confrontation in week 11, while our top performer is pursuing milestones as well as the MVP award
The Breakdown - Just a Bad Day for Buffalo?
Could it simply have been an emotional comedown from beating the Chiefs the previous week or something more? That's the question for the Buffalo team to answer
The Buffalo squad had secured seven victories in a row against the Dolphins but were outperformed from the start as the Dolphins ran out 30-13 winners in an eye-opening result - and performance
MVP Josh Allen only achieved the team's opening first down in the third period and initial scoring in the fourth - admittedly Miami had 10 days to get ready but it was nonetheless a massive egg laid by one of the NFL's best offenses
Tua Tagovailoa threw two scores but running back Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 total yards and two touchdowns
Containing the league's best rushing attack was also key, with Cook and teammates registering just 86 yards, their fewest of the season and slightly more than half their 161.5-yard average
Then there were the three crucial turnovers, and the two from Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area resulting in a nine minute drive produced nothing, and his fourth-quarter fumble that the Dolphins turned into a touchdown just later
It was classic 'old Buffalo' as they shot themselves in the foot, falling into a hole on defense and Allen attempting to do too much to rescue his squad from the situation - rather than the calm, controlled, balanced Buffalo team we've witnessed this season
Miami have served up a bit of everything this year so the jury's out on if this is the beginning of something, but for Buffalo they'll require an immediate bounce-back in a tough game against Tampa Bay in week 11 as the Patriots are quietly moving into a nice lead at the summit of the AFC East
In Focus - Patriots See Path to Unexpected First Place
Regarding the New England, they're one of three different 8-2 squads in the NFL, all American Football Conference sides, but are they the top team?
One could find flaws in New England, Denver and the Colts really for dominating the lesser sides, with only five of their total twenty-four wins achieved against opponents with a winning record - and one of those was the Colts defeating the Broncos
Denver beat the champion Eagles in Philadelphia and are kings of the final quarter while Indy can rely on Jonathan Taylor, but the New England adding Sunday's victory in Tampa Bay to their prime time success in Buffalo seems like a declaration
Their pair of losses came in recently appointed coach Vrabel's first three contests, with seven consecutive victories, similar to Denver, since then - but defeating Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a bye to prepare was huge
Drake Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he certainly deserves point for courage after absorbing some savage hits in Tampa Bay but persevering to guide his team to victory
The defense is reliable and first-year rusher Henderson burst onto the scene on game day with 147 yards and two exhilerating touchdowns of 55 and 69 yards - becoming just the fifth different ball carrier to break 22mph this season on his first score
While you can debate who 'the top team' is technically, the Patriots should be favourites to end with the best record due to their schedule - which features just one game against a winning team, although a huge one against Buffalo
Visiting the Ravens is also tough, but the Broncos have it even tougher in the AFC West division with the Chiefs to play twice, the Chargers (who could also challenge for top seed but encounter the same problem) and also the Packers on the schedule
The Colts also play the Kansas City, and have the Seahawks, 49ers and two matchups with the five and four Jacksonville to face. There's a long way to travel but the door is available for a surprise number one position in the AFC
Next Week - Los Angeles and Seattle Prepare for Next Week Clash
Both squads with solid claims to be better than all of the three different 8-2 sides are National Football Conference West rivals the Seahawks and Rams, who each scored 40 burgers to go to 7-2 ahead of next week's Hollywood blockbuster game between the pair in LA
They've both won four in a consecutive games, have quarterbacks in Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold performing at an elite level (although Darnold had ball security problems on game day) with top receivers, and defensive units giving up fewer than twenty points a game
Both could realistically be undefeated as well - particularly the Los Angeles as their pair of losses came in overtime against the 49ers and then that painful defeat in Philadelphia when they had a potentially winning field goal with the final play deflected and returned by the Eagles for a score
Seattle also lost to the 49ers, with a late touchdown in the opening week, before losing to the final play of the game against the Buccaneers - so they are genuinely among the top teams in the league
The next matchup on Sunday could be the best of the season so far
Top Performer - Jonathan Taylor
Taylor might be on for a historic year after his incredible display in Berlin - rushing for 244 yards, registering three touchdowns and contributing another forty-two {receiving yards