 Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski connected seven times Sunday, as the Patriots came away with a 37-22 victory against the Bills. (USA TODAY Images) |
The New England Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills 37 - 22 on Sunday, lifting the team to first place in the AFC East.
The Patriots showed a lot of mental toughness, playing on the road in an emotional environment. Buffalo came out with a lot of energy, trading scores with New England throughout the afternoon. In the end, however, the Patriots were able to put the Bills in the rearview mirror, coasting to their second win in a row.
After reviewing the game, here are a few thoughts on Sunday's win. --
Patriots Answered When Called Upon: I know some people might say, "It's just the Bills", but Buffalo has played some pretty good football so far this season. Coming off a big win in week 5, defeating the Lions 17-14 in Detroit, along with their first home game under new Owner Terry Pegula, the Bills had momentum going into the contest.
The Bills players came out with a lot of energy, feeding off an intense crowd at Ralph Wilson Stadium. While Buffalo put up a tough fight, New England proved to be too much to handle throughout the contest. While it wasn't perfect by any means, given the emotion on Buffalo's sidelines, and what was at stake early in the year, this victory was big for the Patriots.
Pats Superstars Shined: Back in training camp it was clear the Patriots season came down to three players: Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Darrelle Revis. All three were key in Sunday's victory, putting together strong performances in a physical battle.
Brady had a monster game, throwing for 361 yards and four touchdowns on the afternoon. Despite some leaky offensive line play, Brady was able to get the ball downfield and exposed a weak Bills secondary. Brady completed passes to 10 different New England receivers Sunday.
Gronkowski added 94 yards on seven catches, and the Bills did not have an answer for the Buffalo-native. It's not the first time Gronk has put together a strong performance against Buffalo, in fact, it's pretty routine. In his seven career games against the Bills, Gronkowski has 37 receptions for 543 yards and nine touchdowns.
Revis shadowed Sammy Watkins on the afternoon, limiting the Bills rookie receiver to only two catches for 27 yards. Revis was so much of a threat, Buffalo QB Kyle Orton did not even attempt a pass in his direction in the first half.
Second Half Adjustments: At the end of the first half, the Patriots led 13-7. New England had some success, but was not able to finish drives with a touchdown.
On the opening drive of the third quarter, the Patriots marched 80 yards down the field and scored a touchdown in six plays. Do you think Brady and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels figured out what the Bills were doing at halftime? It sure seamed like it.
Brady completed 12-of-20 for 87 yards in a touchdown in the first half. In the second half, Brady went 15-of-17 for 274 yards and three touchdowns. The Patriots offense was firing on all cylinders.
Injuries Put Damper on Victory: While this was a solid win for New England, it came with a heavy price tag. The Patriots lost starting running back Stevan Ridley and defensive captain Jerod Mayo for the season with knee injuries.
Ridley, in the final year of his rookie contract, has an uncertain future with the team and a long road of recovery ahead of him. New England has three healthy tailbacks on the 53-man roster including Shane Vereen, James White and Brandon Bolden. Practice squad running back Jonas Gray could be an option moving forward.
Mayo's injury leaves an already thin linebacker position very weak. With Dont'a Hightower recovering from a knee injury suffered in week five, there's more pressure on Bill Belichick to make adjustments without his defensive signal-caller.
While it's doubtful the Patriots make any major corresponding moves before their next game, the team may have to look at bringing in veteran help from free agents or trades before the Oct. 28 deadline.
How the Patriots will respond to these key losses is important, but the team doesn't have a lot of time to figure out how to replace the lost production before their next contest. With kickoff on Thursday Night Football in less than 72 hours, the Pats will have to take the "next man up" mentality, as they prepare for another division showdown with the New York Jets.
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