Tom Brady, Patriots Breeze Past LeSean McCoy, Bills on Monday Night Football

The New England Patriots overcame a slow start to earn a 25-6 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.

After leading only 9-3 at halftime, the Patriots pulled away thanks in part to 324 passing yards from Tom Brady. The performance was enough to help the team earn its fifth straight win and improve to 6-2.

LeSean McCoy totaled 95 yards from scrimmage, but the Bills simply couldn't find enough offense to pull off the upset, falling to 2-6.

Regardless of Personnel, Patriots Can't Forget Ground Attack

The absence of Sony Michel, who left the last game with a knee injury and was inactive Monday, was going to have an impact. Still, it was hard to predict things would be this bad.

Cordarrelle Patterson started at running back, while James White and Kenjon Barner also got carries. However, Brady's eight-yard rush was the team's longest in the first three quarters, as the squad couldn't get anything going on the ground.

The result was an ineffective offense that struggled to move the ball and especially had problems in the red zone.

Michel had four rushing touchdowns in his last four games, but against the Bills, the Patriots had a one-dimensional attack. The Buffalo defense was ready, and Brady couldn't find any openings.

Kevin Duffy of the Boston Herald described the issue:

Things changed in the fourth quarter when Patterson finally found an opening and looked as explosive as he does on kick returns:

A few plays later, White got a chance at the goal line and came through with a one-yard touchdown.

The scoring drive showed how important a running game is no matter who is playing quarterback. The coaching staff can't forget this lesson going forward, especially if Michel misses more time.

Whether the team sticks with the Patterson experiment after his 10 carries for 38 yards or adds another running back, trusting the running game will help the offense flourish going forward.

Bills' Stingy Defense Provides Hope for Cloudy Future

This has been a lost season for the Bills, which is especially disappointing after they reached the playoffs last year. The good news is things are looking up on at least one side of the ball.

The defense did about as well as it could against the Patriots offense, allowing only one touchdown. Considering New England had scored at least 38 points in four straight games, this was even more impressive, and the effort didn't go unnoticed:

Tre'Davious White has already proved he is an elite cornerback, but he was as good as ever while shutting down Josh Gordon.

Rookie first-round pick Tremaine Edmunds was arguably the best player on the field in the first half before he left with a concussion. He still tallied eight tackles, including one for a loss, plus a pass defended.

With Lorenzo Alexander adding two sacks and the rest of the pass rush making Brady uncomfortable in the pocket, this was a near-flawless performance by the Bills defense.

Assuming Edmunds returns soon, the unit has the talent to match up with any team in the league. The Buffalo offense won't keep up, but there is at least something for the Bills to build on.

What's Next?

The Patriots will return to Foxborough next week for a primetime matchup against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The Bills will host the Chicago Bears in what could be a defensive battle.