New England Patriots: Studs and duds from fourth straight loss vs. Bills
New England Patriots studs and duds from a loss to the Bills, their fourth straight.
With the direction of the future of the organization both this season and beyond on the line in Week 8, the New England Patriots came into Sunday’s contest against an AFC East opponent with a lot riding on the outcome.
The Patriots looked to end a three-game losing streak when it hit the road to face off against the Buffalo Bills in the first of two games against the division opponent this season.
A loss could mean selling off a few players on the team might be on the horizon ahead of the Nov. 3 trade deadline. A win could save the season and give New England hope going into the second portion of the regular season schedule.
On Sunday at BIlls Stadium in Buffalo, the Patriots ended up dropping yet another game to the Bills, falling 24-21 at Bills Stadium.
To begin the game, scoring was held relatively quiet for both teams in the first two quarters, with the Bills carrying a 7-6 advantage into halftime. Buffalo scored the first points of the game in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead after one frame, with New England answering back with a pair of field goals to make it a one-point game at the break.
In the second half, the Bills outlasted the Patriots with a 17-15 advantage over the final two frames, including scoring a go-ahead field goal with about four minutes remaining and forcing a New England fumble in the final seconds to decide the game.
With the win, Buffalo remains atop the AFC East standings while improving to 6-2 overall on the season and 3-1 on the year at home. In the loss, New England now moves to 2-5 on the season and 0-3 on the road, also falling for the fourth straight game going into Week 9.
The Patriots return to action in Week 9 when they travel to face off against the brutal New York Jets on Monday Night Football in New York. The Bills get back to the field next weekend when they welcome in the Seattle Seahawks into Buffalo for a matchup on Sunday afternoon.
With the AFC East contest now in the books between New England and Buffalo, here are some studs and duds that appeared in the game for the Patriots.