These Patriots are for real
Demoralize Bills by executing game plan
The game came down to a testament of wills, but more important, coaching decisions. Playing in crazy elements, with gusting winds and blustery freezing temperatures, surely altered the game plans for the Patriots and Bills in this Monday Night Football showdown of AFC East titans.
That’s why the Patriots having Bill Belichick remains a huge advantage.
He identified the way to win in those elements, and stuck with it no matter the down and distance.
He was going to be conservative with his offense, sink or swim.
That plan didn’t include much of Mac Jones.
Belichick ran, ran, and ran some more. Every down, every possession, he had Jones hand the ball off, and it worked to the tune of a 14-10 win in Orchard Park.
That’s seven straight wins for the Patriots, who remain atop of the AFC East at 9-4, and also stick as the AFC’s top seed.
Usually, Belichick makes opposing teams play lefthanded, taking away their best asset.
Against the Bills, he voluntarily played left-handed, taking Jones out of the mix. And the Patriots still ruled.
Talk about taking the starch out of the Bills, who had to be deflated with being crushed in the trenches.
Maybe some will feel it was an indictment on the rookie quarterback, who passed just once in the first half, and only twice in the second half.
It appeared more a reflection of Belichick sticking with what he felt was the best way to win.
Heavy personal, ground and pound. Nonstop.
Jones doesn’t have the strongest arm, and in those winds, Belichick didn’t want to take a chance.
Even the strong-armed Josh Allen (15-for-30, 145 yards) had some difficulty rifling some balls through the 40 m.p.h. winds.
Turnovers loomed large. Ball security and field position was paramount.
Ultimately, Belichick wasn’t trying to earn style points, he was trying to win a significant football game. And that’s just what he did. No need to pump the brakes on these Patriots. They’re for real. They are legitimately going to make noise down the road.
They’re built to win in December and January in the outdoors. Between their defense and ability to run, they’re going to be a tough out especially against teams like the Bills, whose defense is built more to stop teams with elite passing games, such as the Chiefs.
Having a lighter, quicker front may be good against Patrick Mahomes & Co. but not against mashers like the Patriots.
The Bills knew the Patriots were going to run, loading the box, and they still ran, and did so effectively. At one point, they ran 32 straight times.
Damien Harris gained over 100 yards. Rhamondre Stevenson was just as huge, as the Patriots ran down the Bills collective throats for 222 yards.
The Patriots were effective running whether they were going into the wind, or had it at their backs.
This was old school running as Josh McDaniels made good use of traps with great blocking from the line up front, along with fullback Jakob Johnson and N’Keal Harry.
The Patriots had a lead, so there was no real need to put the ball up in Belichick’s mind.
But that plan also called for the defense to stop the less-conservative Bills, with Allen putting the ball up, largely because Buffalo trailed.
Belichick was less conservative with his defense, sending an all-out blitz against Allen with a fourthand-14 from the Patriots 18yard line with 2:00 to play to help preserve the lead, and the win.
Belichick played his cards right, and in the process, demoralized the Bills.