Observations from Week 13 Patriots 24-7 loss to Bills

It was a bad look on Thursday night. The Patriots embarrassed themselves in the 24-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The frustration is starting to show as Mac Jones and Kendrick Bourne spouted off during the game and in the locker room.

Davon Godchaux had a great game. He had 10 tackles as the Patriots’ game plan was to allow the Bills to run the ball. They came out in nickel and dared the Bills to run. The Bills played right into that game plan. The Bills ran 37 times for 132 yards. That’s only a 3.6-yard average. Unfortunately, the Patriots’ defense couldn’t get off the field on 3^rd down as the Bills converted 9 of 15.
Matt Judon pulled a Houdini and disappeared. He had just 3 tackles and a fumble recovery. I will say that the Bills game-planned for Judon and had him double-teamed.
Josh Uche had a good game with 7 tackles 2 sacks and a Forced Fumble. Let’s put this in context. Uche played against a one-legged left tackle in David Quessenberry.
I like Marcus Jones more as a WR than a DB. He is too small for DB. Put him in the slot and let him loose with his superior quickness.
Jonathan Jones couldn’t keep up with Stephon Diggs. I will say that Diggs pushes off on almost every play and was only called for it once. Very disappointed in Jonathan Jones quitting on the play where Allen was almost out of bounds and forced it into the end zone for a diving Gabriel Davis.
Myles Bryant never touched Isaiah McKenzie and just let him lie there. A play later in the game Stevenson stumbles to the ground and a Bills defender drills him. Is that the difference between the two teams?
I didn’t like the play where Meyers was hit in the head by Hamlin. It was a catch and then the resulting penalty for targeting forced Meyers to drop the ball. That play occurred in the end zone. It should have been ruled a TD and then Hamlin was kicked out of the game. That would be similar to a holding call while the QB is in the end zone and ends up as a safety.
I think the defensive game plan may have worked if the Patriots could make a few more plays on third down. Allen rushed 8 times for 20 yards (2.5 avg) but many of those were critical plays. You just can’t have Bentley as the spy. He doesn’t have the speed to keep up with Allen. They had Mack Wilson as the spy but he failed to make the tackle on the sideline, allowing Allen to complete the heave to Davis for a TD.
The Offensive line is in shambles. Trent Brown was sick and played badly. McDermott was on the Jets Practice Squad two weeks ago. Strange is playing like a rookie rather than the high draft pick he was. I was so disappointed in Michael Owenu. Twice Jones scrambled and Owenu could have peeled back and made a block. It looked like he didn’t even try. Why didn’t they spend the money on Joe Thuney and keep Ted Karras?
Jones was shown after the game swearing about passing the ball downfield. Could there be a growing rift between the QB and O-line or QB and coaches?
The missed FG at the end of the 1^st half was a killer. That would have made it a 1 score game. Hope for the second half, but the reality is the Patriots’ offense could do nothing.
Rhamondre Stevenson gutted out a tough performance with 6 catches for 24 yards and rushed for 54 yards. On many of those runs, Stevenson shredded off the 1^st contact and kept going. What a special player he could be if he only had an offensive line.
Matt Patricia and Joe Judge have no clue how to attack a defense. They need an offensive-minded coach.
Kendrick Bourne was very outspoken in the locker room after the game. He is now reacting like he is gone at the end of the season and is free to say what he really thinks.
The schedule didn’t do them any favors again. Instead of having the mini-bye week for playing on Thursday, they played the Bills who also played on Thursday. That’s twice this year this has happened. The other was the actual bye week and they played the Jets next, who also had the same bye week.
The Bills dominated the time of possession 38:08 to 21:52. They were 9 of 15 on third down whereas the Pats were only 3-12.
Allen was 22 of 33 for 223 and 2 TDs. Jones was 22 of 36 for 195 yards and 1 TD. Neither had an INT.
Refs missed a critical Pass Interference on the Bills. Meyers was clearly hit before the ball got there and Kirk Herbstreit noted it before the commercial break. When they came back they conferred with the rules analyst Terry McCauly and Herbstreit said he was nodding his head in concurrence that it should have been interference. That would have extended a drive instead of punting.

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About Mark Morse

Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.

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