Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots entered Sunday as co-owners of the NFL’s longest win streak, but they saw it snapped by a division rivals. The Buffalo Bills, who needed a win in order to prevent the AFC East title from staying in Foxborough, were able to complete a 35-31 come-from-behind victory that dropped the Patriots to 11-3 on the year — still good enough for first place in the division, but clearly looking up in the conference now.
The game itself was a mixed bag. There were some impressive individual outings, particularly in the first half, but the ultimate taste left in the mouth was a bitter one. A look at our weekly position grades shows this as well.
Quarterback: In the first half, Drake Maye appeared to seriously bolster his MVP case. Besides going 9-for-11 for 108 yards passing, he also scored two rushing touchdowns in an offense that started to add the quarterback run game to its arsenal. The second half, however, was an entirely different story. Maye registered no additional carries after the break, and saw his passing efficiency decrease: he went just 5-for-12 for 47 yards and an interception in the third and fourth quarters, failing to get himself and his offense into a rhythm behind off-target throws and dubious decisions. For once, the lights seemed to be a bit too bright for the second-year man. | Grade: D+
Running back: Granted, Buffalo’s run defense does not strike fear in anybody’s eyes so far this season. That being said, the same was true for New England’s ground game. And yet, the Patriots dominated proceedings in that area. When all was said and done, they had 246 yards and four touchdowns to show for on 25 carries, including two long TreVeyon Henderson scores from 52 and 65 yards out, respectively. The rookie was the star of the show, but the team also got good contributions from Rhamondre Stevenson, who averaged 8.3 yards per carry and looked as good as he had all season. The only blemish was Henderson giving up a sack. | Grade: A-
Wide receiver: Stefon Diggs willed the Patriots to victory over his ex-club in Week 5, but he was unable to make the same impact in Week 15, finishing with only three catches for 26 yards. The rest of New England’s wideouts also had a hard time producing. Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins had some chunk plays, but registered just five receptions for 71 yards between them. DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams were not even targeted on the day. The success on the ground and limited possessions did not help their cause, but New England — going against a team missing its No. 1 cornerback — also did not see anybody step up in the second half like Diggs did during the first game against the Bills. | Grade: C
Tight end: Hunter Henry had a solid outing as a blocker and did catch an 18-yard...
