Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills’ offense looked horrific for much of the first half of Sunday’s pivotal AFC East showdown against the New England Patriots, amassing zero total yards in the first quarter and punting on its first three possessions.
The Bills’ defense didn’t fare much better, allowing quarterback Drake Maye and New England to break off several big plays, perhaps none more demoralizing than TreVeyon Henderson’s 52-yard touchdown run that put the Patriots up 21-0 with 5:53 remaining in the opening half.
But like they did during last week’s rally from a double-digit deficit, quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills displayed their resiliency, stringing together five consecutive touchdowns to spark a furious come-from-behind win, 35-31, the the largest deficit overcome by a visiting team to win at Gillette Stadium.
Before we turn our attention to Buffalo’s Week 16 game at the Cleveland Browns, today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks offers up final observations and lessons learned from the Bills’ comeback win over New England.
The Bills knew Sunday’s clash in Foxborough, MA was a “hat and t-shirt” game for the Patriots, meaning a win for New England would clinch the AFC East and halt Buffalo’s five-year reign over the division. With their backs against the wall down 21-0, the Bills mounted an improbable comeback.
Josh Allen out-dueled MVP candidate Drake Maye, running back James Cook III dashed through the snow for another 100-yard game, returner Ray Davis consistently set the team up for great position with his kickoff returns, linebacker Matt Milano turned in a vintage performance, and the defense, which allowed 285 yards in the first half, clamped down and surrendered only 100 yards of offense in the second half.
Linked below: Following another game where Josh Allen helped orchestrate a comeback win where the Bills trailed by double digits, it’s fair to ponder how sustainable this style of play is for Buffalo. Plus, how the Bills deployed Ty Johnson to help milk the clock and seal the win; how Buffalo’s run defense rebounded with a solid second-half performance; and more!
