At one point during the 2016 season, it appeared the Buffalo Bills were in a position to give the New England Patriots some competition in the AFC East. Back on October 16th, the Bills had defeated the San Francisco 49ers in a 45-16 thrashing that saw the team move to 4-2 and a four game winning streak. It was a streak that included a shutout victory over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Had the Buffalo Bills taken care of business in Miami just over a week ago (A 28-25 loss), the storyline heading into Sunday would have been an opportunity for the Bills to not only jump back into first place, but also be the first AFC East team to sweep the Patriots since 2000. Instead, the Bills found themselves in all too familiar territory following a 41-25 beat down by Tom Brady, a two game losing streak, and a three game deficit in the division.
Speaking after the game, the usually confident Rex Ryan succumbed to his teams stumbling ways and admitted to something not many coaches would, he conceded the AFC East to the New England Patriots after just eight games.
“I think it’s unrealistic to think you’re going to win your division … how many games now are they up by? Three, something like that, so I don’t see that changing,” Ryan said. “I just told you the truth. I thought winning the division … you’re pretty much shot if you really think we can run the table and still win it. I don’t think so. That team’s three games up on us and at the halfway point they’ve lost one game. And No. 12 (Tom Brady) is back, so yeah, I don’t see that happening (winning the division). I hope I’m wrong.”
While Ryan is not ruling the Bills out of the playoffs or kissing Bill Belichick’s rings, the Patriots have been completely dominant since Brady’s return. Ripping off four straight wins while averaging 34 points per game and an average 16.25 margin of victory.
The Bills last made the playoffs in 1999, and have the longest active drought in the NFL, with the loss, Ryan moves to 5-12 lifetime vs the Patriots as a head coach.
The look on Rex Ryan's face as Stephen Gostkowski makes the Field Goal! #PriceLess #Patriots pic.twitter.com/psabHmKmZb
— RichM (@PastorRichardM) October 30, 2016
Rex Ryan on Brady: One of these days I keep thinking if I stay in this division long enough that dude will retire
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) October 26, 2016
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