The New England Patriots are back in the win column, and in a big way. On Sunday at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots knocked off the Buffalo Bills 29-25 snapping a three-game losing streak.
Not only did the Patriots snap their losing streak for the season, they also got over the hump against a team that has played them as tough as any other in the post-Tom Brady era. The Patriots had lost four in a row to the Bills and six of seven dating back to the start of the 2020 season, with the lone game coming in extreme winds in Buffalo in 2021.
READ MORE:
—Patriots upset Bills with fourth-quarter comeback
—Bill Belichick’s postgame comments on his reported contract extension
—Full Patriots coverage
It wasn’t just any win either. The Patriots were able to do some things – especially offensively – that they’ve struggled to do the past few seasons. That included getting off to a hot start (they were up 10-0 early thanks to an interception on their first defensive play of the game), putting together a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, and winning a game in which the other team scored 25-plus points (it was their first such win since a 30-27 win in November of 2020).
How did they get it done? Let’s get into that and more observations in this week’s takeaways…
Mac Jones checks boxes
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots reacts during the third quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
This wasn’t just Mac Jones’ best game of the year – it was one of the best of his career. Jones completed 25 of his 30 pass attempts for 272 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers. He was sacked just once, and his biggest miscue appeared to be a pump-fake falling out of his hand and falling incomplete.
It wasn’t just the stat line and lack of mistakes that stood out for Jones though, he was an active participant in the team’s victory. He led his first game-winning drive since his rookie season, making multiple big-time throws leading to the game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Mike Gesicki (a very similar-looking play to a game-winner Gesicki caught at Gillette Stadium in 2019).
Now into his third season Jones needs to do more than just show flashes of what he showed on Sunday – he’ll need to be able to play like that consistently. That has to start somewhere, and Sunday would have been as good a time as any.
New-look offensive line looks new
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots kneels after being sacked in the fourth quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
A big part of the reason Mac Jones played more control in this game? A much-improved effort from the offensive line up front. “The offensive line’s play today is what really stood out to me,” Jones said after the game.
Right from the start, we knew the offensive line was going to be different in this game. Not only did the team get starters Cole Strange and Mike Onwenu back, but there was also a lineup adjustment some have been calling for since the start of the 2022 season – Onwenu played right tackle.
The impact was evident immediately. Buffalo’s pass rush – one of the best in the league – didn’t end up factoring into this game much at all. In total Jones was sacked only once and hit just four times. Two of those hits came on safety blitzes from Jordan Poyer while star pass rushers were held in check on the edge by Onwenu and Trent Brown. AJ Epenesa had just one QB hit, and Greg Rousseau and Von Miller were both blanked. Miller didn’t play in the second half for what he called “gameplan reasons.”
Asked after the game if the offensive line alignment will stay moving forward, Bill Belichick was non-committal offering a simple “we’ll see” as his answer. That’s not out of character for him though, and it would be surprising if the group up front looks different to start next week’s game against Miami.
The offensive line showed up in the running game as well, as the Patriots ran for four yards per carry. More on that in a bit, but first…
Explosive players make explosive plays
Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (81) runs with the ball during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
After a rough game all around by the wide receivers this week the Patriots redistributed the workload against the Bills this week. There seemed to be an emphasis of getting faster players and YAC creators on the field, and the impact was clearly visible.
Kendrick Bourne was once again the team’s most-used wide receiver and it showed. He played 54 of the 59 offensive snaps (per Matt Dolloff) and caught a team-high six passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Admittedly, the narrative around Bourne’s day is a lot different if the Patriots don’t come back after his fourth-quarter fumble, but even factoring that fumble in he still had a day that was more good than not.
Beyond Bourne is where the usage changes. Rookie Demario Douglas, back after missing last week with a concussion, played the second-most snaps of any skill position player at 37 and was electric. He caught four passes for 54 yards and had another 20 yard carry, creating a significant amount of his production by making defenders miss in the open field. He also had a 25-yard punt return that set up a Patriots field goal in the second quarter.
Following a costly fumble in Week 2 the Patriots had seemingly been hesitant to put Douglas on the field. Coming into Sunday his 20.5 percent usage rate ranked fourth among wide receivers on the team. With this performance though, he should be looking at an increased workload moving forward.
Douglas wasn’t the only Patriots receiver with an increased snap count this week though. Elevated from the practice squad, Jalen Reagor played 25 snaps in his second significant workload in as many weeks. That included his first catch with the Patriots, which was a slant that went for 11 yards.
The Patriots seem to like putting Reagor’s speed on the field and he blocks hard in the run game too. With his three practice squad elevations now used up, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s a favorite to be added to the active roster any time a spot opens up in the coming weeks.
Where did those extra snaps come from. Some were available because JuJu Smith-Schuster was out for the second week in a row with a concussion. The more notable change though was DeVante Parker playing just 33 snaps after his drop last week, accounting for a season-low 55.9 percent usage rate. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues next week, especially if Smith-Schuster is active as well.
There’s one more and an unlikely explosive player from this game to touch on too – tight end Pharaoh Brown. The 6-foot-6, 246 pound tight end keeps getting open and making teams pay. With his two catches (on two targets) for 51 yards against Buffalo, Brown now has five catches on five targets this year, and is averaging 27.4 yards per catch. That rate probably wouldn’t continue in a volume role but as an outlet option he’s been excellent, providing an unexpected boost from a player many considered to be nothing more than an extra blocker when he signed back in late August.
Grinding on the ground
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Ezekiel Elliot #15 of the New England Patriots carries the ball in the fourth quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
This was also the best game of the year for the Patriots’ running backs. Rhamondre Stevenson carried the ball nine times for 34 yards, but left his mark in the passing game. His 34-yard screen pass catch-and-run was the spark on the game-winning drive, and capped a six-catch, 51-yard performance.
Stevenson looked as explosive as he had all year in this game. He’d been dealing with multiple lower-body injuries since training camp but was removed from the injury report last week, and certainly looks healthy.
Then there’s Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott didn’t put up as flashy numbers as Stevenson – he ran for 31 yards on 11 carries, but did open the game with a touchdown. The score was classic Zeke, as the Bills had him stonewalled at the 2-yard line but he was able to stay on his feet and twist his way into the end zone. That kind of play is likely what the Patriots had in mind when they signed him this summer.
Defensive dominators
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Jabrill Peppers #5 of the New England Patriots intercepts the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Last week, we highlighted a group of defensive players who appeared to be taking the lead in stepping up with the absences of playmakers like linebacker Matthew Judon and cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Two of those players loomed large this Sunday as well.
The first of those two is safety Jabrill Peppers. Peppers set the tone for the Patriots’ defense right away, intercepting the first pass of the game from Bills quarterback Josh Allen. After the game Peppers noted that it was a look the Patriots had practiced extensively against during the week, after getting beat on it last year.
That was hardly the end of Peppers’ impact in this game. He finished with a team-high nine tackles, and added a quarterback hit as well as the interception to his stat line. As has been a theme all season, he was seemingly everywhere on the field for the Patriots defense.
After the game, center David Andrews spoke highly of Peppers impact. “Pep, you’re a little bit of psychopath,” Andrews said with Peppers in the room. “I mean, he just — he screams a lot. He’s from Jersey; I don’t understand half the stuff he says. He’s just out there screaming…Pep’s been a great addition to our locker room. He plays the game the right way, I think. He plays it tough, plays it physical. I appreciate having a guy like him in our locker room.”
Peppers isn’t the only defensive player with a solid game for the second week in a row. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore regularly pressured Allen, recording one sack with a second QB hit, and another tackle for loss. He wreaked havoc on the Bills’ offensive line – something the Patriots have struggled to do in recent weeks without Judon.
One other player that stood out on the defensive side of the ball in this game was Anfernee Jennings. The Patriots fourth-year linebacker continued what’s been a quiet yet strong start to the season as an edge setter, and multiple times helped corral Allen in the pocket.
Tackling issues
Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson (29) tackles Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
While those players showed up bigtime, it was hardly a perfect game for the Patriots’ defense. Tackling was a major, major issue.
The first play that comes to mind in that regard is the Bills’ fourth-quarter go-ahead touchdown, when Jack Jones failed to touch Stefon Diggs down on the ground, then couldn’t bring him down as Diggs got up and raced to the goal line for the score. However, there were other misses as well with Ja’Whaun Bentley, Kyle Dugger, Myles Bryant, and Adrian Phillips all having plays that will likely show up in film review on Monday.
Prior to this week the Patriots had been one of the best tackling teams in the league. Their 74.8 PFF tackling grade ranked fourth in the league, and their 28 missed tackles on the season were tied for the sixth-fewest.
So the question is was this an off game, or something to be worried about moving forward? It’ll definitely be something to monitor next week against a Dolphins team that had the third-most broken tackles in football heading into Week 7.
A bit of a change, and a bit of luck on Diggs
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: J.C. Jackson #29 of the New England Patriots breaks up a pass intended for Stefon Diggs #14 of the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter of the game at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
A big part of the reason the Patriots were able to win this game was the job they did containing Stefon Diggs, who usually beats them worse than any other player on the Bills’ offense. Even with the broken play catch-and-run score, Diggs caught just six passes for 58 yards. Not only are both of those numbers season-lows for him, they’re also lows for his head-to-head matchups with the Patriots since 2020, save the wind game in Buffalo in 2021.
Instead of having J.C. Jackson shadow Diggs like they have in the past, the Patriots mixed up coverages on the All-Pro receiver. Jonathan Jones and Jack Jones each took some reps against Diggs as well, with a mix of zone looks too.
Granted, Allen missed badly on a couple of throws to an open Diggs in the second half. That certainly factored into his lack of production, and may not be duplicatable in the teams’ next meeting late in the year. But overall, the Patriots made Diggs earn the production he did get on Sunday.
Special teams ups and downs
Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots kicker Chad Ryland (37) kicks a field goal against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
A bonus takeaway in the kicking game. The Patriots got the best performances of the year from rookie kicker Chad Ryland and punter Bryce Baringer, as well as the big return from Demario Douglas. Ryland was 3-for-3 on field goals while Baringer knocked both of his punts inside the 20. Those all go in the plus column.
However there were two bad special teams plays that came in key moments. The first and biggest was in the third quarter, when the Patriots failed to get the full field goal unit on the field in time (it looked like rookie Sidy Sow was the guilty party there), forcing the coaching staff to use a timeout rather than take a delay of game that would have created a 54-yard field goal. The other was a false start on a punt from Brenden Schooler.
So, still plenty to work on for the Patriots’ special teams unit. Still, Sunday was a step in the right direction.
Penalties, penalties, and more penalties
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots speaks with a referee in the third quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Clete Blakeman’s referee crew was busy on Sunday. In total there 19 penalties called in this game, 17 of which were accepted. It was tied for the 13th-most penalized game this season. The calls were split almost evenly, with the Bills penalized nine times and the Patriots eight.
There were a number of bad calls, but they all seemed to offset. There were also a few instances where flags were thrown for no call. Even if they didn’t impact the outcome, the crew really threw off the rhythm of the game. That always makes for an annoying watch. Still, it’s hard to say they weren’t consistent.
Mike Vrabel’s speech
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Former player Mike Vrabel speaks during a New England Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony during halftime of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
As is typically the case for Patriots Hall of Fame inductees, Mike Vrabel briefly addressed the Gillette Stadium crowd on Sunday after Saturday’s induction ceremony.
Unlike previous inductees though Vrabel is currently the coach of another NFL team, the Tennessee Titans. That’s what made it kind of weird to here him say things like “Come on, we’ve got a game to win!” and “I’ve been a lot of places and this is a special place…it’s not like this everywhere.”
Even though he’ll head back to Nashville and keep coaching the Titans, who were on a bye week this week, it was still cool to see Vrabel embrace his Patriots roots for a weekend. Especially for a guy that left the way he did, his acknowledgement of the organization stood out.
Silver pants for the win
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Jabrill Peppers #5 of the New England Patriots celebrates with teammates after intercepting the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
After getting blown out by the Bears when wearing their silver pants alternates last year, the Patriots improved to .500 with the look with the win after the Bills.
That’s more than enough for me to say they should make the silver pants look permanent at home. It seems to be a popular sentiment among the fans since the introduction of the ‘blueberry’ home unforms in 2020. Will this win spur that development? We’ll see what the Patriots do with their next home game, two weeks from now against the Commanders.
