Patriots-Bills Ups & Downs: The AFC’s top team overcomes the elements

Author Matt Dolloff

December 7th, 2021 12:35 AM

It was an expectedly and appropriately weird night in Buffalo. The Patriots overcame the gale force winds better than the Bills could on Monday night, and also flat-out executed better in the game’s crucial moments, to earn a 14-10 win that moved them to 9-4 on the season.

We’ve got five “Ups” and four “Downs” in this game. Quarterback Mac Jones gets an “incomplete” grade after attempting just three passes, which set a new Patriots franchise record for the fewest pass attempts in a single game. The running game took center stage and then some on this night for the Patriots, who probably frustrated a lot of fantasy owners. But who cares? A win is a win.

Despite some clutch performances for the Patriots on both sides of the ball, it certainly wasn’t a perfect game for them. If not for a few ugly mistakes, the Bills might not get to 10 points. Here’s a closer look at the “Ups” and “Downs” from the Patriots’ seventh straight win…

• UP: RB Damien Harris

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  On a very weird night in Buffalo, Harris made arguably the single biggest play of the game. It helped that he had flawless blocking in front of him, and the Patriots’ whole running game deserves an “Up.” But Harris gets the game ball for breaking off a 64-yard touchdown run. Harris unfortunately couldn’t finish the game, as he had to exit with a hamstring injury after trying to gut it out. Fittingly, he ran hard for a 22-yard gain on his last play in the game.

• UP: DT Davon Godchaux

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  A team-leading 10 tackles for the big boy. He gobbled up everything in his path in this game, and the Bills tried running in his direction fairly often. Godchaux looked like a man who knew this game could be won in the trenches. This was arguably his best game as a Patriot.

• DOWN: LB Matthew Judon

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  A rare “down” night for Judon, who has otherwise had a superb season. Despite sometimes generating pressure on Josh Allen, and it’s impossible to keep Judon quiet for a whole game, he committed a pre-snap penalty for the second game in a row. He also got way with what could’ve been a roughing the passer call, and blew contain on a big Josh Allen run on what was a key fourth-quarter drive at the time. To be fair, he did come up with a sack on Allen later in that drive. But Judon has had better games.
• DOWN: WR N’Keal Harry

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  This doesn’t need much explanation. Harry had another good night as a run-blocker, but it was arguably solely because of him that the Bills were still in the game in the fourth quarter. We’re obviously talking about Harry’s muffed punt, which doinked off his helmet. You could reasonably blame the coaches for putting Harry back there in the first place. But just an inexcusable gaffe by a receiver who’s grinding just to find his fit on the team.

• DOWN: CB Jalen Mills

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  Mills gave up the Bills’ only touchdown of the game, a quick strike to Gabriel Davis after the Bills were gifted a short field. He’s been better lately after a bad start to the season, but Mills was one of the few Patriots who got flat-out beat on a key play in this game.

• UP: K Nick Folk

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  Literally, imagine where the Patriots would be without Nick Folk. The veteran kicker shrugged off the wind problems to go 2-for-2 kicking field goals, continuing his All-Pro-caliber season. It was a very tough spot for Folk, who was certainly going to be needed at some point with the Patriots on the road against a tough defense. But with the wind on top of it? Folk handled it as well as one can expect.
• DOWN: Punting unit

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  Punter Jake Bailey had trouble with the wind early in the game. He had one particularly ugly punt that went for only 15 yards, and the Bills were pinned inside the 20-yard line only once. Also, Ja’Whaun Bentley committed a false start on a punt. Tough conditions, of course, but it’s the job of kicking specialists to overcome issues with the elements. Bailey nearly redeemed himself with a 71-yard boom in the fourth quarter.

• UP: CB J.C. Jackson

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  You know how to tell Jackson had a great game? The Bills’ Stefon Diggs made just four catches on seven targets for 51 mostly inconsequential yards. A far cry from what he did to the Pats in Foxborough last year. Diggs had one good catch with a nice back-shoulder in the fourth quarter, but Jackson clearly got the best of him tonight. Jackson had to be motivated going into this one, and he just made himself even more expensive in his impending free agency.

• UP: RB Rhamondre Stevenson

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  Just good-old-fashioned hard running by Stevenson. Seventy-eight yards on 24 carries doesn’t look good on paper, but in a game like this, yardage wasn’t necessarily as important as ball security. Stevenson, of course, didn’t fumble in his 24 touches. He aced the eye test, muscling his way through a sea of defenders on a number of carries. The Patriots leaned on the rookie hard, and he did his job.

Next Patriots Ups & Downs comes down the road, since the Patriots will now have their bye week. They get back to action on Saturday, Dec. 18 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Click here for complete New England Patriots coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at [email protected].

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Author Matt Dolloff

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