Buffalo's Bay Day Opens New England Route to AFC East Lead - Highlights of NFL Week 10
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Week 10 once more provided excitement, with a huge upset for the Bills proving the 'any Sunday can bring surprises' mantra that attracts so many fans into the NFL
This outcome may have opened things up for the Patriots to move back into a leading position they used to occupy, with a schedule that gives them an advantage over their 8-2 competitors
Over in the National Football Conference the Seahawks and Rams had perfect results to set up a major confrontation next week, while our player of the week is pursuing milestones as well as the Most Valuable Player award
The Breakdown - Simply an Off Day for Buffalo?
Was it just an emotional comedown from beating the Chiefs the previous week or a deeper issue? That's the question for the Bills to address
The Bills had secured seven victories in a consecutive games against Miami but were outperformed from the beginning as the Dolphins emerged as 30-13 winners in an surprising result - and performance
MVP Josh Allen only got the squad's opening first down in the third period and first points in the final quarter - yes the Dolphins had 10 days to get ready but it was still a massive egg produced by one of the NFL's top offences
Dolphins quarterback Tua passed for two touchdowns but rusher Achane was the game-changing factor, with 225 combined yards and two touchdowns
Containing the league's best running game was also key, with James Cook and teammates registering just eighty-six yards, their lowest of the year and just over fifty percent their 161.5 yard average
Then there were the three critical turnovers, and the two from Josh Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area meaning a nine-minute possession yielded no points, and his final quarter dropped ball that Miami turned into a touchdown just two plays
It was classic 'old Buffalo' as they shot themselves in the foot, falling into a hole on defense and Josh Allen trying to overcompensate to dig his team out of it - not the calm, disciplined, balanced Buffalo team we've seen this year
The Dolphins have served up a bit of everything this season so the verdict is uncertain on if this is the beginning of a trend, but for the Bills they'll need an immediate bounce-back in a tough game against the Buccaneers in week 11 as the New England are quietly moving into a comfortable advantage at the summit of the AFC East
In Focus - New England See Path to Unexpected First Place
Speaking of the New England, they're among three 8-2 teams in the league, all AFC teams, but could they be the top team?
You can find flaws in New England, the Broncos and Indianapolis actually for feasting on the weaker opponents, with only five of their combined 24 victories achieved against opponents with a winning record - and one example was the Colts defeating the Denver
Denver beat the champion Eagles in Philadelphia and are masters of the final quarter while Indy can ride Taylor, but the New England including Sunday's win in Tampa Bay to their primtime success in Orchard Park appears to be a statement
Their two defeats occurred in new head coach Vrabel's initial three games, with seven consecutive victories, just like the Broncos, since then - but defeating Baker Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a bye to prepare was significant
Drake Maye's MVP claims won't go away, and he definitely earns point for courage after absorbing some savage hits in Tampa but hanging in there to steer his team to success
The defense is solid and rookie rusher TreVeyon Henderson exploded on Sunday with 147 yards and two exhilerating scores of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - becoming just the fifth ball carrier to exceed 22mph this year on his initial touchdown
While you can debate who 'the best' is statistically, the Pats should be favorites to finish with the top record due to their schedule - which features just a single matchup against a winning team, although a huge one against Buffalo
Visiting Baltimore is also tough, but the Broncos have it even tougher in the AFC West division with the Kansas City to play twice, the Los Angeles Chargers (who could also challenge for top seed but encounter the same problem) and also the Packers on the fixture list
The Colts also face the Kansas City, and have the Seahawks, 49ers and two games with the 5-4 Jaguars to face. There's a considerable distance to travel but the opportunity is open for a surprise number one position in the AFC
Next Week - Los Angeles and Seattle Prepare for Next Week Showdown
Both squads with strong arguments to be better than all of the three different 8-2 sides are NFC West opponents the Seahawks and Rams, who both put up forty points to go to seven and two ahead of the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster meeting between the pair in Los Angeles
They've both secured four victories in a consecutive games, have signal callers in Stafford and Darnold playing at an high standard (although Sam Darnold had turnover issues on game day) with excellent pass catchers, and defenses allowing fewer than twenty points a contest
Both could realistically be without a loss as too - especially the Rams as their two defeats came in extra time against the 49ers and then that painful defeat in Philadelphia when they had a game-winning kick with the last kick blocked and run back by the Philadelphia for a touchdown
The Seahawks also lost to San Francisco, with a last-minute score in the opening week, before falling to the final play of the game against the Tampa Bay - so they're genuinely two of the top teams in the NFL
The upcoming game on Sunday could be the most exciting of the year so far
Top Performer - Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor might be on for a record season after his remarkable performance in Berlin - running for 244 yards, registering three scores and contributing another forty-two {receiving yards