Buffalo shellacks reeling New England
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Buffalo Bills put a cherry atop the changing of the guard in the AFC East.
A week after unseating the Patriots as division champion, Buffalo became the first AFC East team in two decades to sweep New England in a season series with a 38-9 victory Monday night.
Josh Allen passed for four touchdowns to help the Bills stay in the mix for the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.
The Bills (12-3) last swept the Patriots in 1999. The last division opponents to sweep the Patriots were the Jets and Dolphins in 2000. The Patriots’ 19 straight seasons without losing both games to a divisional opponent was an NFL record. New England (6-9) will finish with its first losing record since coach Bill Belichick’s first season in 2000.
Allen was 27 of 36 for 320 yards. He now has 34 touchdown passes, surpassing Jim Kelly to set a franchise single-season record. With his eighth 300-yard game, he also surpassed Drew Bledsoe’s single-season team record of seven.
“We’ve got one game left. And all that, it’s cool, the records, this and that,” Allen said. “But the plan is to get to 13-3 and give ourselves a chance in the playoffs. It doesn’t mean much if we can’t get it done.”
Stefon Diggs had nine catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns, setting a Bills single-season record for receiving yards.
“I’m new to this team so I’m basking in (the) ambience of everybody,” Diggs said. “I’ve got a young quarterback who’s balling.”
The Patriots struggled to move the ball for most of the night with running back Damien Harris out for the second straight game with an ankle injury. Cam Newton had a touchdown run but was just 5 of 10 for 34 yards passing before being pulled in the third quarter for backup Jarrett Stidham.
Belichick said he hasn’t made any decisions about who will start the Patriots’ finale Sunday against the New York Jets.
“It was the opportunity to give him a chance to play,” Belichick said of inserting Stidham. “Cam did a good job for us. I mean, that wasn’t the problem. We were just not very competitive in the beginning.”
Diggs became the third player in the 51-year history of the AFC East to top 110 receptions and 1,400 yards receiving in a season. The other two are Wes Welker (New England, 2011) and Marvin Harrison (Indianapolis, 1999).