It was an eventful day in Foxborough, as the New England Patriots clinched the AFC East and elevated themselves to the second seed in the AFC. Following back-to-back losses to the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers, coupled with the departure of troubled star receiver Josh Gordon, fans’ optimism was waning. However, fans can now rest easy. The Patriots bested the divisional rival Buffalo Bills 24-12. With the win, Tom Brady picks up his 30th win against the Bills in his career.
New England Patriots Clinch AFC East, Get Crucial Win Over Buffalo Bills
Re-Ignited Run Game
The Patriots’ run game has been a severe area of concern over the course of the previous two weeks. Fan-favorite James White, only garnering 13 touches in that span, had proven largely ineffective.
This was not the case Sunday. Reaching 10 touches for the first time in three weeks, White reached 41 rushing yards to the tune of nearly five yards a carry. White also scored on a 27-yard burst in the middle of the second quarter. Rookie backfield mate Sony Michel also had a big day, accumulating over 100 rushing yards for the fourth time this year, giving himself 881 rushing yards on the season.
The pleasant surprise of the day was that of Cordarrelle Patterson. The do-it-all man for the Patriots had an explosive first half, reaching 66 rushing yards. The trio of White, Michel, and Patterson led the charge of 273 team rushing yards on the day.
Passing Attack Struggles Without the Flash
Following the departure of Gordon this week, the Patriots struggled through the air. Coming off of a solid performance against the Steelers, Brady only reached a below-average 126 yards through the air. However, Brady managed to find the end zone in the form of his most reliable target, finding Julian Edelman on a 32-yard touchdown strike.
The passing game story manages to get worse still, as Brady was picked off twice on the day by linebacker Lorenzo Alexander and safety Jordan Poyer. Both plays, however, are not as much on Brady as they are on his receivers. Rex Burkhead, responsible for two of the team’s three turnovers on the day, miscommunicated with Brady on a simple check-down pass, leading to an interception. Rob Gronkowski, allowing a pass to slip right through his hands, caused Brady’s second interception on the day.
Coming against a tough Bills’ secondary, coupled with the subtraction of Gordon, the lack of efficiency through the air would not surprise any fan. The team has plenty to improve upon entering their final game against the New York Jets.
Defensive Backfield Continues Strong Performances
Undrafted rookie J.C. Jackson continues to show why he is a consistent member of the secondary, intercepting Josh Allen near midfield to halt a Buffalo drive in its’ tracks.
Veteran Jason McCourty also came up big for the Patriots. Coming up with a fantastic sideline interception with four minutes left to seal the game, McCourty had a solid bounce-back performance after a dismal effort against the Steelers.
Rushing Defense Shines
After allowing the Steelers’ running back Jaylen Samuels to run wild last week to the tune of 142 yards at a 7.5-yard average, the team finally received reinforcements in the middle of their run defense in the form of Danny Shelton. Only allowing 72 total rushing yards as a team to the Bills, the Patriots’ have clear tendencies to build on come playoff time.
History Made
Amidst a “chaotic” season in New England, fans forget the excellence of the team throughout the Belichick – Brady era. With their win today, the team reached their 16th-straight 10-win season, tying the NFL record for the longest such streak. The team also clinched the AFC East form their 10th straight season.
What’s more, the team elevated themselves to the AFC’s second seed with their win. Patriot-killer Nick Foles exercised his standard late-game heroics and upset the Houston Texans at the buzzer. The Patriots now own the two seed and control their own destiny to a first-round bye week.
Last Word on Week 16
Overall, this week provided the Patriots a much-needed win to keep them afloat in a tightly-bound AFC playoff race. With the Jets coming up, expect Belichick to do all he can to hang on to the second seed.
