Buffalo's Disappointing Performance Opens New England Path to Top Spot - Best of NFL Week 10
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Week 10 again delivered, with a huge upset for the Bills proving the 'any given Sunday' mantra that draws so many fans into the NFL
That result could have created opportunities for the New England Patriots to creep back into a top spot they used to occupy, with a schedule that gives them an advantage over their 8-2 rivals
Meanwhile in the National Football Conference the Seattle Seahawks and Rams had perfect results to set up a major confrontation in week 11, while our player of the week is pursuing milestones as well as the Most Valuable Player award
Analysis - Just a Bad Day for Buffalo?
Could it simply have been an emotional comedown from beating the Chiefs last week or a deeper issue? This remains the question for the Bills to address
The Bills had secured seven victories in a row against the Dolphins but were outperformed from the beginning as the Dolphins ran out 30-13 winners in an surprising result - and display
MVP quarterback Josh Allen only got the squad's initial first down in the third quarter and first points in the fourth - admittedly Miami had 10 days to prepare but it was still a massive egg produced by one of the league's best offenses
Tua Tagovailoa passed for two touchdowns but rusher Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 total yards and two scores
Containing the league's best running game was crucial too, with Cook and teammates registering just 86 yards, their lowest of the year and just over half their 161.5-yard average
Then there were the three critical ball losses, and the pair from Josh Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area meaning a nine minute possession yielded no points, and his fourth-quarter fumble that Miami turned into seven points just two plays
It was classic 'previous Bills teams' as they shot themselves in the foot, getting into a hole on defense and Josh Allen trying to overcompensate to dig his team from the situation - not the composed, disciplined, balanced Buffalo team we've seen this season
Miami have served up a varied performances this year so the verdict is uncertain on whether this is the start of something, but for Buffalo they'll require an immediate bounce-back in a difficult matchup against the Buccaneers next week as the Patriots are quietly moving into a nice lead at the top of the AFC East
In Focus - New England Identify Route to Unexpected First Place
Regarding the New England, they're among three different 8-2 squads in the league, all AFC teams, but could they be the top team?
One could find flaws in the Patriots, the Broncos and the Colts actually for dominating the lesser sides, with only five of their combined twenty-four wins coming against opponents with a winning record - and one of those was the Indianapolis defeating the Denver
Denver beat the champion Eagles in Philly and are kings of the final quarter while Indy can ride Jonathan Taylor, but the New England including Sunday's win in Tampa to their prime time win in Orchard Park appears to be a statement
Their two defeats occurred in recently appointed coach Vrabel's initial three games, with seven consecutive victories, similar to Denver, from that point - but defeating Mayfield after the Bucs had a bye to get ready was huge
Drake Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he definitely earns credit for courage after taking some savage hits in Tampa but persevering to guide his side to success
The defensive unit is solid and rookie running back Henderson exploded on game day with 147 rushing yards and two exhilerating touchdowns of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - becoming just the fifth runner to break 22mph this year on his initial touchdown
Although you can debate who 'the best' is statistically, the Patriots should be favourites to finish with the best record thanks to their remaining opponents - which includes just one game against a winning team, albeit a huge one against the Bills
Visiting the Ravens is challenging too, but Denver have it more difficult in the AFC West division with the Chiefs to face two times, the Chargers (who might also compete for first place but face the identical challenge) and additionally the Green Bay on the schedule
The Colts also face the Chiefs, and have the Seattle, 49ers and two matchups with the five and four Jaguars to contend with. There is a considerable distance to go but the door is open for a shock number one position in the AFC
Next Week - Rams & Seahawks Prepare for Week 11 Showdown
Two teams with solid claims to be better than all of the three eight and two sides are National Football Conference West rivals the Seattle and Los Angeles, who each put up 40 burgers to reach seven and two before next week's Hollywood blockbuster game between the two in LA
They've both secured four victories in a consecutive games, have quarterbacks in Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold performing at an elite level (although Sam Darnold had ball security problems on Sunday) with excellent pass catchers, and defenses giving up under 20 points a game
Each could easily be without a loss as well - especially the Rams as their two defeats came in overtime against the San Francisco and then that painful defeat in Philly when they had a potentially winning kick with the final play blocked and returned by the Eagles for a touchdown
Seattle were also defeated to the 49ers, with a last-minute score in the opening week, before losing to the final play of the game against the Buccaneers - so they are truly two of the best sides in the league
The upcoming game on Sunday could be the best of the year to date
Player of the Week - Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor could be on for a record season after his remarkable performance in Berlin - running for 244 rushing yards, scoring three touchdowns and contributing an additional 42 {receiving yards