What we learned from the Bills’ win over the Patriots
The Buffalo Bills (10-6) continued their attempt to run the table for the end of this season in the hopes of securing a playoff spot after a disappointing start. After falling to 6-6 following a 37-34 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 26, the Bills have won four straight games, including a 27-21 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
With Buffalo’s AFC playoff hopes on the line, the start against New England could not have been worse as the Bills allowed Patriots wide receiver Jalen Reagor return the opening kickoff 98 yards to the house to give New England a 7-0 lead at the 14:48 mark of the first quarter.
After that, Buffalo got back into the game thanks to some great defense, headlined by cornerback Rasul Douglas and his two interceptions, including one that he returned 40 yards for a touchdown. With no further ado, here are three things we learned from Sunday’s win over the Patriots:
Buffalo's Defense Is Legit
Despite the injuries to star defensive players in linebacker Matt Milano and cornerback Tre’Davious White, the Bills have continued to play good defense and that has allowed them to go on this 4-game winning streak. While New England’s running game was solid (4.3 yards per carry), Buffalo limited the Patriots’ passing game to just 191 net passing yards and forced Bailey Zappe to throw three interceptions.
The Bills' Passing Game Has To Get Better
While the Bills have been able to go on this 4-game winning streak, it has been in large part because of the defense as the passing game has left a lot to be desired. On Sunday, Josh Allen had a passer rating of just 53.3 and a QBR of only 19.8, a show of how much Buffalo’s passing game struggled against the Patriots. Allen has now thrown for less than 170 yards in two of his last three games.
The Bills Have Earned A Chance To Win The AFC East
After it looked like the Bills were out of the running for winning the AFC East, their recent play has allowed them the chance to win the division and be the #2 seed in the AFC. All Buffalo has to do now is beat the Miami Dolphins to give themselves the best chance to achieving that outcome so that the Bills can have a home playoff game.
