Bills' Bay Day Gives New England Route to Top Spot - Highlights of Week 10 NFL Action
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Week 10 once more provided excitement, with a major surprise for the Buffalo Bills demonstrating the 'any Sunday can bring surprises' saying that draws so many people into the NFL
That result may have opened opportunities for the Patriots to creep back into a leading position they used to occupy, with a schedule that gives them an edge over their eight and two rivals
Over in the NFC the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams had ideal outcomes to set up a monster clash next week, while our player of the week is pursuing milestones as well as the Most Valuable Player award
The Breakdown - Simply an Off Day for the Bills?
Could it simply have been an emotional comedown from defeating Kansas City last week or something more? That's the question for the Buffalo team to answer
The Buffalo squad had won seven in a consecutive games against Miami but were outperformed from the start as the Miami team emerged as 30-13 winners in an eye-opening result - and performance
MVP quarterback Josh Allen only achieved the team's initial first down in the third period and first points in the final quarter - yes the Dolphins had 10 days to get ready but it was nonetheless a significant failure laid by one of the NFL's top offences
Tua Tagovailoa threw two scores but rusher Achane was the game-changing factor, with 225 total yards and two touchdowns
Bottling up the NFL's top running game was crucial too, with James Cook and teammates recording just 86 yards, their lowest of the year and slightly more than fifty percent their 161.5 yard season average
Then there were the three critical turnovers, and the two from Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area meaning a nine-minute drive yielded no points, and his fourth-quarter fumble that Miami turned into seven points just two plays
It was typical 'previous Bills teams' as they hurt themselves in the foot, falling into a deficit on defensive side and Josh Allen attempting to overcompensate to dig his team out of it - rather than the composed, disciplined, well-balanced Buffalo team we've witnessed this season
Miami have demonstrated a bit of everything this year so the jury's out on whether this is the start of something, but for Buffalo they'll require an immediate bounce-back in a difficult matchup against the Buccaneers in week 11 as the New England are quietly moving into a comfortable advantage at the top of the AFC East
In Focus - Patriots Identify Route to Unexpected First Place
Regarding the Patriots, they're among three different 8-2 teams in the league, all American Football Conference sides, but could they be the best?
You can find flaws in New England, the Broncos and the Colts actually for feasting on the weaker opponents, with only five of their total twenty-four wins coming against teams with a positive record - and one of those was the Indianapolis beating the Denver
The Broncos beat the champion Eagles in Philadelphia and are masters of the final quarter while Indianapolis can rely on Jonathan Taylor, but the Patriots adding Sunday's win in Tampa to their prime time success in Buffalo appears to be a statement
Their two defeats came in recently appointed coach Mike Vrabel's first three games, with seven straight wins, just like the Broncos, from that point - but defeating Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a bye to prepare was huge
Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials continue to be discussed, and he certainly earns credit for courage after taking some savage hits in Tampa Bay but persevering to steer his side to victory
The defensive unit is reliable and first-year rusher Henderson burst onto the scene on Sunday with 147 yards and two exciting touchdowns of 55 and 69 yards - establishing himself as just the fifth different runner to break 22 miles per hour this year on his initial touchdown
While you can debate who 'the best' is statistically, the Patriots should be favorites to finish with the best record thanks to their remaining opponents - which includes just a single matchup against a successful opponent, albeit a huge one against the Bills
Visiting Baltimore is also tough, but Denver have it more difficult in the AFC West with the Kansas City to face two times, the Chargers (who could also compete for top seed but encounter the identical challenge) and also the Green Bay on the fixture list
The Indianapolis also face the Chiefs, and have the Seattle, San Francisco and two matchups with the five and four Jaguars to contend with. There is a considerable distance to travel but the opportunity is available for a shock number one position in the American Football Conference
Next Week - Rams & Seahawks Set for Next Week Showdown
Both squads with strong arguments to be better than all of the three different 8-2 sides are National Football Conference West opponents the Seattle and Rams, who both put up 40 burgers to go to seven and two before next week's major game between the pair in LA
They've both won four in a consecutive games, have signal callers in Stafford and Sam Darnold playing at an high standard (although Sam Darnold had ball security problems on Sunday) with top receivers, and defensive units allowing fewer than twenty points a game
Both could realistically be undefeated as well - especially the Rams as their two defeats occurred in extra time against the San Francisco and then that agonising loss in Philadelphia when they had a game-winning kick with the final play deflected and run back by the Eagles for a touchdown
The Seahawks also lost to San Francisco, with a late touchdown in the opening week, before losing to the last kick of the game against the Tampa Bay - so they're truly two of the top teams in the NFL
The upcoming game on Sunday could be the best of the year to date
Top Performer - Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor could be on for a historic year after his incredible display in Germany - running for 244 yards, scoring three touchdowns and adding another forty-two {receiving yards