Buffalo's Disappointing Performance Opens Patriots Route to AFC East Lead - Highlights of NFL Week 10

Quarterbacks in action
Josh Allen along with Drake Maye will meet in week 15 for what could be an American Football Conference East title decider
  • Published:
  • Comments: 3

The tenth week once more provided excitement, with a major surprise for the Bills proving the 'any given Sunday' saying that attracts so many people into the NFL

This outcome may have opened opportunities for the New England Patriots to creep back into a leading position they formerly held, with a remaining games that gives them an advantage over their 8-2 rivals

Meanwhile in the NFC the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams had perfect results to arrange a major confrontation in week 11, while our top performer is chasing records as well as the Most Valuable Player award

Analysis - Simply an Off Day for the Bills?

Josh Allen in action
Did Josh Allen try too much or could it simply have been a bad day for the Bills?

Was it just an emotional comedown from beating the Chiefs last week or a deeper issue? That's the question for the Bills to address

The Bills had won seven in a row against Miami but were second best from the start as the Dolphins ran out 30-13 victors in an surprising result - and performance

MVP quarterback Josh Allen only achieved the team's opening first down in the third quarter and first points in the fourth - yes the Dolphins had 10 days to get ready but it was nonetheless a significant failure laid by one of the league's best offenses

Dolphins quarterback Tua passed for two scores but running back Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 total yards and two touchdowns

Containing the NFL's top rushing attack was also key, with Cook and company recording just 86 yards, their fewest of the year and slightly more than half their 161.5-yard average

Then there were the three critical ball losses, and the pair from Josh Allen specifically. An pass caught by defense in the end zone meaning a nine-minute possession produced nothing, and his fourth-quarter fumble that the Dolphins turned into a touchdown just later

It was typical 'previous Bills teams' as they hurt themselves in the foot, falling into a hole on defense and Allen attempting to do too much to dig his team out of it - rather than the calm, controlled, well-balanced Buffalo team we've seen this year

The Dolphins have demonstrated a bit of everything this season so the verdict is uncertain on whether this is the beginning of a trend, but for the Bills they'll require an instant response in a tough game against Tampa Bay in week 11 as the Patriots are sneaking into a comfortable advantage at the summit of the American Football Conference East

In Focus - New England Identify Route to Unexpected First Place

TreVeyon Henderson running
Henderson clocked the fifth quickest speed in the NFL this year

Regarding the New England, they're among three different 8-2 teams in the NFL, all American Football Conference sides, but are they the top team?

You can pick holes in New England, Denver and the Colts really for dominating the weaker opponents, with just five of their combined 24 victories coming against teams with a winning record - and one example was the Indianapolis beating the Broncos

Denver defeated the champion Eagles in Philadelphia and are masters of the fourth-quarter while Indy can rely on Jonathan Taylor, but the New England including Sunday's victory in Tampa Bay to their primtime win in Orchard Park seems like a declaration

Their pair of losses came in recently appointed coach Mike Vrabel's initial three contests, with seven straight victories, just like the Broncos, from that point - but defeating Mayfield after the Bucs had a bye to get ready was significant

Drake Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he definitely deserves point for courage after taking some savage hits in Tampa Bay but persevering to guide his side to victory

The defense is reliable and rookie rusher Henderson burst onto the scene on game day with 147 yards and two exciting scores of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - establishing himself as just the fifth ball carrier to break 22mph this season on his initial touchdown

While you can debate who 'the top team' is technically, the Patriots should be favorites to end with the top record due to their schedule - which features just a single matchup against a winning team, albeit a huge one against the Bills

Visiting Baltimore is also tough, but the Broncos have it even tougher in the AFC West with the Chiefs to play twice, the Chargers (who could also challenge for top seed but encounter the same problem) and also the Green Bay on the fixture list

The Colts also play the Chiefs, and have the Seahawks, San Francisco and two matchups with the five and four Jaguars to contend with. There is a long way to go but the door is available for a shock number one position in the American Football Conference

Coming Up - Los Angeles and Seattle Prepare for Week 11 Showdown

Both squads with solid claims to be better than all of the three eight and two teams are National Football Conference West opponents the Seahawks and Los Angeles, who each scored 40 burgers to reach seven and two before next week's major game between the two in LA

Both have secured four victories in a row, have signal callers in Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold playing at an elite level (although Darnold had turnover issues on Sunday) with excellent pass catchers, and defensive units giving up under 20 points a contest

Both could easily be undefeated as too - particularly the Rams 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 field goal with the final play deflected and run back by the Philadelphia for a touchdown

Seattle also lost to San Francisco, with a late touchdown in the opening week, before falling to the last kick of the contest against the Tampa Bay - so they are truly among the top teams in the NFL

The upcoming game on Sunday could be the best of the season to date

Top Performer - Taylor

Jonathan Taylor running
Jonathan Taylor is chasing down multiple rushing and scoring records

Taylor might be on for a historic year after his incredible display in Berlin - rushing for 244 yards, registering three touchdowns and adding another forty-two {receiving yards

William Beltran
William Beltran

A passionate collector and writer specializing in gaming memorabilia and unique finds.