The Buffalo Bills had done everything this season, except win a divisional game. But Josh Allen kicked off Week 13 with a 24-10 Thursday Night Football win to progress to 9-3 on the season.
Buffalo dominated the matchup in terms of total yardage and time of possession, and a big part of that was the run game.
The Bills split their ground-game between James Cook and Devin Singletary, who rushed for 115 yards as a duo. Allen also did his usual scrambling act to add another 20 yards to the tally.
Not sure "slide" is in @JoshAllenQB's vocabulary 😅#BUFvsNE on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) December 2, 2022
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/bTTcEL41DH pic.twitter.com/6xmc45dmnF
In total, the Bills more than doubled New England's rushing yards on the night, as they looked to move the ball through the air rather than the backfield.
Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for just 54 yards, but only had 10 carries in the matchup. With an average of 5.4 yards per attempt, we're left asking why Belichick limited his action so much, but Mac Jones may be the reason
“Throw the fucking ball! The running game sucks!”
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) December 2, 2022
Mac Jones has had enough of Matt Patricia pic.twitter.com/eez9QEucwT
Jones may have been demanding more passing plays, but the air raid wasn't very successful either... Well, that was until defensive back and special team's member Marcus Jones stepped onto the field as a receiver.
Marcus Jones led the Patriots in offensive yards with just 2 receptions, after taking a screen pass 48 yards for New England's only aerial touchdown of the night.
This was quite the run by @MarcusJonesocho to put the @Patriots on the board! 💨#BUFvsNE on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) December 2, 2022
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/bTTcEL41DH pic.twitter.com/0pWYcQBZgi
Something could be said for Jakobi Meyers leaving the field with a concussion, after suffering a heavy hit on an end zone throw. The head-to-head hit resulted in an ejection for Bills Damar Hamlin, and with Meyers on the sideline Mac Jones struggled to move the ball, though it's unlikely this changed the result.
Meanwhile, the Bill's passing game was as reliable as ever.
Stefon Diggs led the way as usual, catching 7-of-9 targets for 92 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah McKenzie also continues to make an impact as he logged 44 yards on the night, while Gabe Davis joined Diggs on the scoreboard for a touchdown on this ridiculous play for Josh Allen...
.@JoshAllenQB stayed inbounds and throws for the TD! 😱#BUFvsNE on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) December 2, 2022
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/bTTcEL41DH pic.twitter.com/aK3rKucXTf
We know these games that are coming up, they matter. The ones in December and January, they matter. We've got to find ways to go win some football games.
Josh Allen
And that's exactly what he did...
The Bills have now won 3 games in a row and look to face the Jets in Week 13 after an extended break following this TFN matchup. Buffalo may have been knocked from the top spot in the Super Bowl odds by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but this dominant divisional win sets them up nicely for the following weeks.
On the other hand, the New England Patriots have lost 2 consecutive games after last weeks loss to the Vikings. Sure, they're facing some tough competition, but even with them sitting at the bottom of a competitive AFC East, a Wild Card spot isn't entirely out of reach as they still hold a 6-6 record.
