Bills' Disappointing Performance Gives Patriots Route to Top Spot - Highlights of NFL Week 10
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The tenth week once more provided excitement, with a major surprise for the Buffalo Bills demonstrating the 'any Sunday can bring surprises' saying that attracts so many fans into the NFL
This outcome may have opened opportunities for the New England Patriots to move back into a top spot they formerly held, with a remaining games that gives them an advantage over their 8-2 rivals
Over in the National Football Conference the Seattle Seahawks and Rams had perfect results to arrange a monster clash in week 11, while our player of the week is pursuing milestones as well as the MVP award
The Breakdown - Simply an Off Day for the Bills?
Could it simply have been an emotional comedown from beating the Chiefs last week or something more? This remains the question for the Buffalo team to address
The Buffalo squad had secured seven victories in a consecutive games against Miami but were second best from the beginning as the Dolphins emerged as 30-13 winners in an surprising outcome - and performance
MVP Josh Allen only achieved the team's opening first down in the third quarter and first points in the fourth - yes Miami had ten days to get ready but it was nonetheless a massive egg produced by one of the NFL's top offences
Tua Tagovailoa passed for two scores but running back De'Von Achane was the game-changing factor, with 225 combined yards and two touchdowns
Bottling up the NFL's top rushing attack was crucial too, with James Cook and teammates registering just 86 yards, their lowest of the year and slightly more than half their 161.5 yard season average
Additionally there were the three crucial ball losses, and the pair from Josh Allen specifically. An interception in the scoring area meaning a nine-minute possession yielded no points, and his final quarter fumble that Miami turned into seven points just two plays
It was classic 'old Buffalo' as they hurt themselves in the foot, getting into a deficit on defense and Allen trying to overcompensate to dig his team from the situation - not the composed, disciplined, well-balanced Bills we've witnessed this year
The Dolphins have served up a bit of everything this season so the verdict is uncertain on whether this is the start of something, but for Buffalo they'll need an instant response in a difficult matchup against the Buccaneers next week as the Patriots are sneaking into a comfortable advantage at the top of the AFC East
Spotlight - New England See Path to Surprise Top Seed
Speaking of the Patriots, they're one of three different eight and two teams in the league, all AFC sides, but could they be the top team?
You can find flaws in the Patriots, Denver and the Colts really for dominating the lesser sides, with just five of their total twenty-four victories achieved against opponents with a positive record - and one of those was the Colts defeating the Broncos
The Broncos beat the champion Eagles in Philly and are masters of the final quarter while Indy can rely on Taylor, but the New England adding Sunday's win in Tampa to their prime time win in Buffalo seems like a statement
Their pair of losses occurred in recently appointed coach Vrabel's initial three games, with seven consecutive victories, just like the Broncos, since then - but defeating Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a bye to get ready was significant
Drake Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he definitely deserves point for bravery after absorbing some hard tackles in Tampa but hanging in there to guide his side to success
The defensive unit is reliable and first-year rusher Henderson burst onto the scene on Sunday with 147 yards and two exhilerating scores of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - establishing himself as just the fifth ball carrier to break 22 miles per hour this year on his first score
Although you can debate who 'the best' is statistically, the Patriots should be favourites to finish with the top record due to their remaining opponents - which features just a single matchup against a winning team, albeit a significant contest against Buffalo
Visiting Baltimore is also tough, but Denver have it even tougher in the AFC West with the Chiefs to face two times, the Chargers (who could also compete for top seed but encounter the identical challenge) and additionally the Packers on the fixture list
The Indianapolis also play the Chiefs, and have the Seahawks, 49ers and two games with the 5-4 Jaguars to contend with. There's a long way to go but the door is available for a surprise top seed in the AFC
Coming Up - Rams & Seahawks Set for Next Week Showdown
Both squads with solid claims to be superior to all of the three different 8-2 sides are NFC West rivals the Seahawks and Los Angeles, who each scored forty points to reach 7-2 before next week's Hollywood blockbuster meeting between the pair in LA
Both have won four in a row, have signal callers in Stafford and Sam Darnold playing at an high standard (although Sam Darnold had ball security problems on Sunday) with excellent pass catchers, and defenses giving up fewer than twenty points a game
Each could easily be undefeated as well - especially the Rams as their two defeats came in extra time against the San Francisco and then that agonising loss in Philly when they had a potentially winning field goal with the last kick deflected and returned by the Philadelphia for a touchdown
The Seahawks also lost to the 49ers, with a last-minute score in week one, before losing to the last kick of the contest against the Tampa Bay - so they are truly among the best sides in the league
The upcoming game on Sunday could be the best of the year so far
Player of the Week - Jonathan Taylor
Taylor could be on for a historic year after his remarkable performance in Berlin - rushing for 244 yards, scoring three scores and adding an additional forty-two {receiving yards