Buffalo's Disappointing Performance Opens New England Route to AFC East Lead - Best of Week 10 NFL Action
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Week 10 once more provided excitement, with a major surprise for the Bills proving the 'any Sunday can bring surprises' saying that draws so many people into the National Football League
That result may have opened things up for the Patriots to creep back into a leading position they formerly held, with a remaining games that provides them an advantage over their 8-2 competitors
Over in the National Football Conference the Seattle Seahawks and Rams had perfect results to set up a monster clash in week 11, while our player of the week is chasing records as well as the Most Valuable Player award
The Breakdown - Simply an Off Day for the Bills?
Was it just an emotional comedown from defeating Kansas City the previous week or a deeper issue? This remains the question for the Buffalo team to answer
The Bills had secured seven victories in a consecutive games against the Dolphins but were second best from the start as the Miami team ran out 30-13 victors in an surprising result - and display
MVP quarterback Josh Allen only got the squad's opening first down in the third period and initial scoring in the final quarter - admittedly the Dolphins had ten days to get ready but it was still a massive egg laid by one of the league's best offenses
Dolphins quarterback Tua passed for two touchdowns but running back Achane was the game-changing factor, with 225 combined yards and two touchdowns
Bottling up the league's best rushing attack was crucial too, with James Cook and teammates recording just eighty-six yards, their lowest of the season and slightly more than half their 161.5-yard season average
Then there were the three critical ball losses, and the two from Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area resulting in a nine-minute drive yielded no points, and his fourth-quarter fumble that Miami converted to seven points just two plays
It was classic 'previous Bills teams' as they shot themselves in the foot, falling into a deficit on defensive side and Allen trying to overcompensate to rescue his squad out of it - not the composed, disciplined, well-balanced Buffalo team we've seen this year
The Dolphins have served up a varied performances this season so the jury's out on whether this is the start of a trend, but for the Bills they'll need an instant response in a difficult matchup against Tampa Bay next week as the Patriots are quietly moving into a comfortable advantage at the summit of the American Football Conference East
Spotlight - Patriots Identify Route to Surprise Top Seed
Regarding the Patriots, they're one of three different 8-2 teams in the league, all AFC teams, but are they the best?
One could find flaws in New England, the Broncos and the Colts really for dominating the weaker opponents, with just five of their combined twenty-four victories coming against teams with a positive record - and one of those was the Colts beating the Denver
The Broncos defeated the champion Eagles in Philly and are masters of the fourth-quarter while Indianapolis can rely on Taylor, but the New England adding Sunday's win in Tampa to their prime time win in Orchard Park seems like a declaration
Their pair of losses occurred in recently appointed coach Mike Vrabel's first three games, with seven straight victories, similar to the Broncos, since then - but defeating Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a bye to prepare was huge
Drake Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he definitely earns credit for bravery after absorbing some hard tackles in Tampa Bay but persevering to guide his team to victory
The defensive unit is reliable and rookie rusher Henderson burst onto the scene on Sunday with 147 rushing yards and two exciting scores of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - becoming just the fifth runner to break 22 miles per hour this season on his initial touchdown
Although you can argue who 'the top team' is technically, the Patriots should be favorites to end with the best record due to their schedule - which features just a single matchup against a winning team, although a huge one against Buffalo
Visiting the Ravens is challenging too, but Denver have it even tougher in the AFC West with the Kansas City to face two times, the Los Angeles Chargers (who could also challenge for top seed but face the same problem) and also the Green Bay on the schedule
The Indianapolis also face the Kansas City, and have the Seahawks, San Francisco and two matchups with the five and four Jacksonville to face. There's a considerable distance to go but the opportunity is open for a surprise number one position in the AFC
Next Week - Rams & Seahawks Set for Week 11 Clash
Two teams with strong arguments to be superior to all of the three different eight and two teams are National Football Conference West rivals the Seahawks and Rams, who both scored 40 burgers to go to 7-2 ahead of the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster game between the two in LA
They've both won four in a row, have signal callers in Matthew Stafford and Darnold performing at an elite level (although Sam Darnold had ball security problems on game day) with excellent pass catchers, and defensive units giving up under 20 points a game
Each could realistically be without a loss as well - particularly the Los Angeles as their pair of losses came in extra time against the 49ers and then that painful defeat in Philly when they had a potentially winning kick with the final play blocked and returned by the Eagles for a score
Seattle also lost to the 49ers, with a late touchdown in the opening week, before losing to the final play of the game against the Tampa Bay - so they're genuinely among the best sides in the league
The next matchup on Sunday could be the most exciting of the year to date
Player of the Week - Taylor
Taylor could be on for a historic year after his remarkable performance in Berlin - running for 244 rushing yards, scoring three scores and adding another forty-two {receiving yards