Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills’ perfect season ended in Week 5 with a 23-20 loss to the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. A 52-yard field goal by rookie kicker Andy Borregales with 15 seconds left sealed the upset, fueled by Buffalo’s three turnovers — two fumbles and an interception — and 10 penalties for 80 yards. Despite outgaining New England 389 to 354 yards, the Bills went 2-for-4 in the red zone and couldn’t stop Stefon Diggs’ (146 yards) second-half eruption.
Now 4-1, Buffalo faces Atlanta in Week 6, needing to address errors to maintain AFC East dominance. Using box scores, Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades, and advanced metrics like expected points added (EPA) and completion percentage over expected (CPOE), here’s my analysis of the top three trending up, the top three trending down, and some honorable mentions on both sides.
These players provided bright spots in a tough night, showcasing skills that could anchor Buffalo’s bounce-back.
Making his second appearance in this list in the last three weeks, Kincaid delivered his best game of the young season, hauling in a career-high eight receptions for 112 yards on 10 targets. His PFF receiving grade of 77.5 was the highest on offense, and evident in his crisp route-running that took advantage of mismatches against the Patriots’ linebackers to keep drives alive. Advanced metrics back this up: Kincaid generated +2.1 EPA on his targets, ranking in the 85th percentile among tight ends, per Next Gen Stats.
In a game where Buffalo needed reliable chain-movers, Kincaid’s 17-yard conversion on 3rd & 5 in the third quarter set up a field goal, and his yards-after-catch average (YAC) of 6.2 explain how tough he was to bring down.
After a strong Week 3 (66 yards) and a touchdown in Week 4, Kincaid’s rapport with Allen is blossoming, positioning him as a safety valve amid receiver inconsistencies. The former first-round pick’s upward trajectory is a must to open things up outside, making the wide receivers’ lives easier and Buffalo’s passing attack more dynamic.
After a quiet first four weeks of the season, Rousseau was a disruptive force up front, notching one sack and two tackles for loss (TFL) while registering a PFF pass-rush grade of 82.4 — the second-highest among Bills defenders. His sack on Drake Maye on New England’s opening drive forced a three-and-out, flipping field position early.
Advanced stats shine here: Rousseau’s 18.2% pressure rate on 22 pass-rush snaps ranked in the top 10 league-wide for the week, and his +1.8 EPA from pressures helped Buffalo’s defense generate a 45% win rate on pass rushes (per PFF). Despite the loss, Rousseau’s performance signaled he’s emerging as a disruptor and could create havoc alongside Joey Bosa and Ed Oliver when he’s finally back. As Buffalo faces lefty QB Michael Penix Jr. next, Rousseau’s emergence could be pivotal in creating game-changing plays from his blindside in Atlanta next week....
