3 Takeaways from Patriots' Week 7 Win vs. Bills
The New England Patriots pulled off one of the most stunning victories of Week 7 with a 29-25 triumph over the Buffalo Bills.
Mac Jones had arguably his best performance of the season, as he completed 25 of his 30 passes for 272 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Jones did not turn the ball over and he displayed poise in the pocket as Patriots mounted a fourth-quarter comeback.
The Alabama product spread the ball out through the air more than he had in previous games. Four Patriots recorded over 50 receiving yards.
Jones' improvement over the last two weeks is a step in the right direction for the Patriots, and Sunday's come-from-behind win may be a signal that 2023 may not be a lost season in Foxborough.
Mac Jones Impressed for Second Straight Week
1 of 3
Jones answered the criticism about his quarterback play about as well as anyone could have hoped.
The Patriots signal-caller recorded a combined 260 passing yards in Weeks 4 and 5, when the team scored three total points.
Jones rebounded in Week 6 with 200 yards in a losing effort to the Las Vegas Raiders. He built on that performance with a confident showing against a divisional rival.
Jones produced his highest passing-yard total since Week 1, and most importantly, he did not throw an interception for the second time this season.
He made a lot of the right throws and finished off the performance with a dart to Mike Gesicki in the back of the end zone at the end of the fourth quarter.
Jones is still far from a perfect quarterback, but the player we saw on Sunday is more like the one Bill Belichick and his staff expected to have.
More Pass Catching Depth
2 of 3
The Patriots threatened the Bills defense from all angles of their passing game.
Four players reached 50 receiving yards, nine players caught a pass and multiple players from each position group were targeted by Jones.
Kendrick Bourne was once again Jones' top target. He was joined by Demario Douglas, Pharoah Brown and Rhamondre Stevenson over 50 yards.
Douglas and Brown's production seems like the most important takeaway from the day of pass-catching depth.
New England needs playmakers to step up to help Jones. Douglas has the speed to break away from defenders, a quality that the other wide outs do not possess. Brown took a leap over Gesicki and Hunter Henry in recent weeks in the tight end room.
Henry, Gesicki and DeVante Parker only combined for 40 yards on five catches, but they made their receptions count, most notably on Gesicki's game-winning touchdown reception.
The Patriots have found the pass-catching depth they lacked at the start of the season, and if that continues, they will be frisky in a majority of their games, including next week's AFC East showdown with the Miami Dolphins.
Win Ended Bills' Recent Dominance in Rivalry
3 of 3
Sunday's win was important for the psyche of the Patriots organization.
Buffalo entered the matchup with 6-1 record against New England dating back to the start of the 2020 season.
The Bills earned five of those victories by double digits, including the 2021 playoff win and both of last season's triumphs.
A win over the divisional power will help the Patriots in their preparation for the Dolphins this week.
New England may not win against a Miami team coming off a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but it has more potential to be competitive inside Hard Rock Stadium.
A strong performance in a defeat in Miami could help the Patriots gain momentum ahead of clashes with the Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts prior to their Week 11 bye.
New England could realistically enter the bye at 4-6 with a chance to push for a wild-card spot. That was not on the agenda two weeks ago at the height of Jones' struggles.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
