New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills: Danny Woodhead Among Game's Big Stories
The New England Patriots were able to hang onto their one point halftime lead and win at Gillette Stadium over the Buffalo Bills, 38-30.
Here's your obscure stat for the day: before today, teams were 0-1 this season when carrying a 13-game winning streak and a 15-1 record in the past 16 meetings with their opponent. The losers in that contest were the Indianapolis Colts to their perennial punching bag, the Houston Texans.
The game was close for the majority of the contest, but in the end, the Patriots high-powered offense proved too much for Ryan Fitzpatrick, CJ Spiller, and the Bills.
Let's examine some of the big stories, and some things we learned from the game.
Nope...Still No Pressure From The Patriots Defense
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The Patriots lacked the high level of aggression that they showed in the first two games. Although it hurt them against the Jets with a few key penalties and way too much of Darius Butler in single coverage, the lack of aggression almost seems to have hurt them more.
Ryan Fitzpatrick often had all day to throw in the pocket, connecting with his receivers for good chunks of yardage. He even scrambled three times and collected 18 yards in the process.
Jerod Mayo had the team's lone sack, his first of the season. Other than that, the Patriots didn't generate much, if any pressure. The Dolphins aren't much of a prolific high-flying pass attack, but Fitzpatrick and the Bills proved that even a lowly group can keep it competitive if the quarterback has all day to throw.
Rush Defense Could Also Be a Problem
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Is Marshawn Lynch really a bust? He looked like one heck of a first-round choice on Sunday, at least to me. He amassed 79 yards on 13 carries for over six yards per carry.
I couldn't help but laugh when Solomon Wilcots called the Patriots front seven the "strength of (New Englands) defense." I suppose by comparison to our green secondary, the front seven may look a bit better, but I wouldn't consider the front seven a strength at all.
It would be nice if the Patriots were getting any sort of production out of their front seven, but what good plays are being made get lost in a sea of blown assignments and poor gap discipline.
Adjustments at Halftime
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You probably didn't need me to tell you that the Patriots have struggled in the second half for awhile now. It's been fairly well-documented, and all you really needed was to see last week's game against the division rival New York Jets for perfect evidence of that.
But is there reason for optimism in Foxboro? The Patriots scored three second-half touchdowns, and although they gave up one on special teams, they only allowed one touchdown on defense.
But let's temper our excitement with the fact that the Bills haven't exactly been a potent offense all season (before today, of course). Likewise, the Patriots can't allow a team to get its legs right back under them with a special teams touchdown the way that CJ Spiller did to them on Sunday.
Here's to brighter second halves to come?
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Aaron Hernandez Is a Utility Player And a Match-Up Nightmare
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I don't think I've ever seen a tight end around, but the Patriots ran one for 13 yards on the strength of rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez.
The tight end, who was Florida's leading pass-catcher in his last two seasons in college, made a big impact yet again on Sunday against the Bills. They couldn't find a suitable match for him in coverage, and Tom Brady responded by connecting with the rookie for six receptions and 65 yards.
Hernandez is often classified as more of a receiver than a traditional tight end, but we saw him line up as an h-back on Sunday, as well. He could be the multi-faceted solution to the absence of Kevin Faulk on third downs.
Secondary Struggles: Maybe It's Not All On Darius Butler
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Lee Evans, Roscoe Parrish, and Steve Johnson all had a respectable game.
Did you ever think that you'd hear those words all in the same sentence at any point this season? Not especially after the rough start the Bills offense got off to, but as the CBS panel discussed in the morning, perhaps Ryan Fitzpatrick was exactly the spark the offense needed to get things going.
Benching Darius Butler for the start of the game due to his two big pass interference calls may have taught him a lesson in discipline, but it didn't seem to do anything on the field.
Two safeties, Brandon Meriweather and Patrick Chung, each tallied an interception, but both were on passes into heavy traffic. Furthermore, CJ Spiller's touchdown reception could be attributed to a bad angle by Meriweather. I guess doing your own thing doesn't always work, huh?
Even Devin McCourty, who had been New England's best corner before today, gave up some big plays, including a touchdown to Steve Johnson. Lack of experienced depth continues to be a big concern for New England's secondary.
Danny Woodhead Was a Great Signing
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Kevin Faulk who?
It may be a bit premature to make those kind of claims, but the Patriots definitely picked a talented player to replace the injured veteran. The quickness of the diminutive Danny Woodhead was definitely present on his three runs totaling 42 yards and a 22-yard touchdown scamper.
Yes, he only touched the ball three times. Yes, it was against a hapless Bills defense.
But it was a big statement for a rush offense that had been virtually non-existent over the first two weeks.
Balance in The Red Zone?
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Really? My mind nary disbelieves what my eyes see, but I quietly wondered whether I would wake up from the strange dream of New England running the ball in and around the red zone.
The Patriots had five rushes for 22 yards and a touchdown from inside the Bills' 20-yard line, but that doesn't even include two Danny Woodhead runs from the 22-yard line that went for 22 and 15 yards and another touchdown.
Tom Brady can carry the team to victory, but he shouldn't have to. In fact, it's harder for him when the running game isn't getting anything going.
Were it not for the effective running game inside and near the red zone, the Patriots wouldn't have won this game today.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis Is Running Like Laurence Maroney Should Have Been
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Throughout Laurence Maroney's four-year tenure with the team, the consensus on the back was that he needed to hit the holes in the line with more conviction. Too often, he was caught wearing tap-dancing shoes instead of cleats behind the line of scrimmage, and was stuffed for a short or no gain.
We caught glimpses of that this Sunday against the Bills, only it was "The Law Firm" doing the work to the tune of 16 carries for 98 yards and a seven-yard touchdown, his first since 2008.
The authority with which Green-Ellis ran against the Bills will help the Patriots down the line, if they can get that kind of production out of him when they need it—the cold-weather, snowy months of November and December.
Patrick Chung Will Be a Big-Time Leader For The Patriots Defense This Season
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The Patriots have a lot of holes left from veterans departed. One of those was at safety, where Rodney Harrison retired to pursue a career from a TV studio. Patrick Chung, the second-year safety out of Oregon, was believed to be his successor.
Although it's hard for a player to live up to those kinds of expectations, and though Chung's career is still young, he's certainly headed on the right track. After three games, he already is just one shy of his tackle total from all last season. He also picked off his first pass of the season against Buffalo, a Ryan Fitzpatrick throw into coverage in the end zone.
Of New England's talented young defenders, I think Patrick Chung has to be at or near the top of the list. He figures to be a leader for them going forward, too.
Tom Brady Gets Back on Track
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Through the first three games, one thing has become exceedingly clear: the Patriots can't afford for Tom Brady to have an off day. A bad day for Brady is a bad day for the Patriots; a good day for Brady means the Patriots have a chance to win.
21-for-27, 252 yards, and three touchdowns was just enough to get past the Bills.
Luckily, as mentioned before, a renewed commitment to running in the red zone could mean less pressure on Brady's shoulder, but let's not get our hopes up. This is one game, and may not necessarily be a microcosm of New England's game plan going forward.
Let's hope it is, though, because Brady may be capable of leading the team to victory each week, but that doesn't mean he should have to do it alone.
"Any Division Game Is Tough..."
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Even against Buffalo. So says Jerod Mayo, at least.
The Patriots dazzled with their high-powered offense, but were dull on defense. There's still a lot of work to be done, but there's still a lot of football left to be played.
What stood out to you from Sunday's contest? What do you think of my observations? Please don't hesitate to leave me a comment and let me know.
Thanks for reading!
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