Patriots vs. Bills: New England Grades, Notes and Quotes
After a week of bluster from the opposition, it was the New England Patriots who took the air out of Ralph Wilson Stadium with their 40-32 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Pats raced out to a huge lead before nearly experiencing a catastrophic collapse in the fourth quarter, but they held on in an unexpected shootout.
The afternoon started as disastrously for New England as one could have imagined, with Buffalo marching 80 yards down the field for an opening-drive touchdown, then subsequently forcing a three-and-out. Things turned quickly the rest of the first quarter, however, as the Patriots answered with consecutive touchdown drives after forcing back-to-back three-and-outs from the Bills offense.
The snowball continued into the second quarter, with Rob Gronkowski catching his his fourth touchdown of the year following a Malcolm Butler pick. Penalties and pressure muddled both offenses throughout the second quarter, but apart from a 39-yard Bradley Fletcher pass interference penalty that set up a Bills touchdown, the Patriots generally remained under control en route to a 24-13 halftime lead.
That double-digit lead was enough to allow the Patriots to play the second half on their terms, as Tyrod Taylor and the Bills offense were forced out of their comfort zone. New England extended its lead to 37-13 midway through the third quarter, with Brady hitting Julian Edelman for the receiver's second touchdown of the game and seemingly putting the contest to sleep.
But things got much dicier in the fourth quarter, as the languid Pats let the Bills slip back into the game with three consecutive touchdowns over a seven-minute span to pull within 37-32. Brady and the offense were able to burn off most of the remaining four minutes on a prolonged drive, highlighted by Danny Amendola's 29-yard diving catch, and hold on for an eight-point win following an interception on Buffalo's last-ditch drive.
Read on for full grades, analysis and postgame quotes from a critical division road win that moved the Patriots to 2-0.
Position Grades for Patriots
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| Position | Grade |
| QB | A |
| RB | B |
| WR | A- |
| TE | A |
| OL | B+ |
| DL | A- |
| LB | A- |
| DB | B- |
| Special Teams | A |
| Coaching | B |
The final score made the game appear closer than it was; apart from Buffalo's seven-minute fury in the fourth quarter, the Patriots dictated this game to the Bills. Tom Brady was masterful against a typically stifling Bills defense, going 38-for-59 for 466 yards and three touchdowns, to go along with one lost fumble. The 59 pass attempts were the second-most of Brady's career, as he essentially carried the Pats through a deliberately one-dimensional offensive game plan.
It's hard to quibble with Brady's supporting cast on offense, as Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman continue to create headaches for defenses. The duo caught all three of Brady's touchdown tosses and combined for 210 yards on 18 catches. Additionally, the ostensibly overmatched offensive line held up well against Buffalo's vaunted defensive front, giving up just a two sacks that lost 15 yards.
Despite utilizing more base personnel defensively, the Pats again had their share of issues stopping the run, conceding 5.9 yards per carry and 160 rushing yards total. Buffalo played mostly out of shotgun and pistol throughout the afternoon, and LeSean McCoy used his estimable vision to find creases along the line en route to an 89-yard rushing performance.
However, the Pats did keep Taylor constantly under siege (more on that later) and picked him off three times, including the game-sealing interception with one minute remaining in the fourth. New England's linebackers, particularly Jamie Collins (11 tackles, 3 quarterback hits, one forced fumble) were all over the place, generally wreaking havoc throughout the middle portion of the game.
A pair of failed fourth-and-one attempts will raise some questions about Bill Belichick's in-game decisions on Sunday, but the coaching staff deserves credit for crafting a solid game plan and keeping the players composed in a hostile environment. Special teams also provided New England some valuable hidden points, with two long Danny Amendola punt returns allowing the offense to start drives deep in Buffalo territory.
O-Line Keeps Brady Upright
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The root of Tom Brady's struggles last September stemmed from the shoddy protection provided by an offensive line full of backups. Many Patriots fans likely feared a similar result this year, but through two games, the new-look offensive line has allowed just four sacks for 22 yards lost.
If the line can survive at Ralph Wilson against a Buffalo line featuring four Pro Bowlers, that should answer questions about the viability of New England's offensive line. David Andrews and Josh Kline did combine for four penalties while starting at center and left guard, respectively, but the two youngsters were solid in keeping defensive tackles Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams quiet throughout the game.
Additionally, Marcus Cannon ended up playing most of the game after Sebastian Vollmer left with a finger injury. Cannon has always appeared more comfortable at tackle than guard throughout his career, and given Vollmer's injury history, he's an important insurance policy at the position. Lining up mostly against Mario Williams, Cannon appeared to hold up well in pass protection throughout the game.
It wasn't perfect, as Nate Solder's whiff on Jerry Hughes led to the forced fumble that made the game 37-32 late in the fourth quarter. Still, in a game where Buffalo likely expected to dominate the trenches, the Patriots offensive line performed far above expectations in allowing the offense to put up a crooked number on the scoreboard.
Defense Sacks Taylor Hype
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A week after Tyrod Taylor appeared completely in control against the Indianapolis Colts, the Patriots were much more successful in rattling the first-time starter on Sunday. Though Taylor still finished with three touchdown passes and 242 yards, largely in the fourth quarter, the Patriots made more than enough impactful plays themselves to negate those numbers.
Belichick clearly game-planned to keep Taylor in the pocket and force him to progress through his reads, a task the Buffalo quarterback struggled with. Consequently, New England compiled a whopping eight sacks, the second-highest single-game total of the Brady-Belichick era and its most since 2001. Chandler Jones led the way with three sacks, beating Buffalo's linemen from all over the formation.
And though the secondary did concede some big plays, a problem that looks like it will be a bigger issue than it was in 2014, three picks from Malcolm Butler, Duron Harmon and Logan Ryan punished Taylor on other occasions when he attempted to go deep.
When the Pats built their defense in the offseason, they likely dreamed about dominating the trenches against opposing passing games like they did today. The bottom-line yardage and point totals aren't pretty, but New England's defense made more big plays in a single game than it has in quite some time.
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Dobson Back in the Mix
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The stars of the game for New England were mostly the usual suspects, but one surprising offensive focal point was Aaron Dobson. After registering just a single catch in the season-opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dobson was often featured in two-receiver sets while catching seven of his eight targets for 87 yards.
That reception total more than doubled his season total from 2014, and both figures represented the second-highest totals of Dobson's career. On the roster bubble the entire offseason, Dobson received a lifeline with New England's spate of injuries at wide receiver during the preseason. With Brandon LaFell out for the first six weeks while recovering from offseason foot surgery, Dobson may have emerged as New England's primary split end.
It was impressive to see the diversity in Dobson's route tree, as he appeared more composed than he did when he was first thrown into the fire during his 2013 rookie season. His biggest reception may have been on a 3rd-and-7 near the end of the third quarter, which prolonged a drive in New England territory and eventually led to a touchdown.
Dobson still doesn't have much breathing room, given his lack of special teams value and LaFell's expected midseason return. Still, it's refreshing to see the former second-rounder fighting to shed his bust label after a disastrous sophomore season.
Dion Lewis: Appreciative of Coaches' Faith
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When Dion Lewis coughed up the ball midway through the second quarter, many observers likely figured it was the end of his afternoon. The fumble was Lewis' second in as many weeks, and given Belichick's historically austere attitude towards ball security, it was reasonable to expect heavier doses of LeGarrette Blount and Brandon Bolden.
However, Lewis was back on the field the next possession, and again played the vast majority of the snaps en route to 138 yards from scrimmage on just 13 touches. After the game, Lewis expressed gratitude that the coaching staff kept him on the field despite the costly mistake:
"Lewis on confidence coaches showed in him, leaving him in, "They trust me out there...it's on to the next play, you can't dwell on it."
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) September 20, 2015"
At this point, there can't be any question as to who New England's No. 1 running back is. With 98 receiving yards, Lewis' ability to split out wide and create mismatches with linebackers gives the Patriots a similar threat to what they had with Shane Vereen last year. Moreover, his short-space agility between the tackles is unique among Patriots running backs, as he's clearly the most exciting ball-carrier on the roster. There's a limit to Belichick's patience, but Lewis' per-play efficiency has earned him the benefit of the doubt thus far.
Devin McCourty: Bills Talk "Nothing New"
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There was plenty of bluster from Buffalo in the lead-up to the game, but ultimately, the Patriots' play spoke loudest on Sunday. Following the game, Devin McCourty gave a tone that was both business-like and defiant, as he told the Boston Herald's Jeff Howe that Buffalo's trash talk was not dissimilar to what the Pats usually face:
"McCourty: "Nothing new. We feel like every week, I don’t care who we play, I’m probably betting the whole league wants them to beat us too."
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) September 20, 2015"
It appeared as though the Bills were a little overhyped throughout the game, as Buffalo committed a whopping 14 penalties for 140 yards, including six unsportsmanlike or unnecessary roughness infractions. New England wasn't faultless itself, committing 11 penalties for 119 total yards, as tensions ran high while a flag-happy officiating crew attempted to keep the game under control.
Still, there was no mistaking the satisfaction from the Patriots players. Julian Edelman appeared to gesture to the Buffalo crowd to quiet down after each of his touchdown receptions, while Malcolm Butler also gave a hushing motion following his second-quarter interception. New England outwardly professes to ignore the noise, but it's also folly to assume the players and coaches aren't humans who will derive immense satisfaction from this win.
Rex Ryan: Outcoached by Belichick
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Rex Ryan has made it his personal mission to scale Mount Foxborough since arriving in the AFC East before the 2009 season, but has rarely gotten the better of the Pats since a few early-year successes. Following the game, Ryan gave credit to Belichick and the Patriots coaching staff for the win:
""Belichick outcoached me, no question about it" - Rex Ryan at the podium on @NFLGameDay pic.twitter.com/9K1JwTKBrJ
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 20, 2015"
As alluded to earlier, the Patriots' coaching staff wasn't perfect, as a couple fourth-down decisions backfired against New England. The second one, which came with the Patriots up by 18 in the fourth quarter, helped spur Buffalo's frantic comeback attempt.
But Belichick and Matt Patricia pushed all the right buttons in mixing things up on defense, giving Taylor a variety of different looks to keep the callow quarterback off-balance. In addition, Josh McDaniels had an excellent play-calling game when factoring in how one-dimensional the offense was. As much as the Patriots leaned on Brady, Belichick's stellar prep work laid the foundation for the win.
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