Buffalo's Disappointing Performance Gives New England Path to Top Spot - Highlights of NFL Week 10
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Week 10 again delivered, with a major surprise for the Bills demonstrating the 'any Sunday can bring surprises' mantra that attracts so many people into the National Football League
That result could have created things up for the New England Patriots to move back into a leading position they formerly held, with a remaining games that provides them an advantage over their eight and two rivals
Meanwhile in the NFC the Seahawks and Rams had ideal outcomes to set up a monster clash next week, while our top performer is pursuing milestones as well as the Most Valuable Player award
The Breakdown - Just a Bad Day for Buffalo?
Could it simply have been an emotional letdown from beating the Chiefs the previous week or a deeper issue? That's the question for the Buffalo team to address
The Buffalo squad had secured seven victories in a row against the Dolphins but were second best from the beginning as the Dolphins emerged as 30-13 victors in an eye-opening result - and performance
MVP quarterback Josh Allen only got the team's opening first down in the third quarter and initial scoring in the final quarter - yes Miami had 10 days to get ready but it was nonetheless a massive egg produced by one of the league's top offences
Dolphins quarterback Tua passed for two touchdowns but running back Achane was the game-changing factor, with 225 combined yards and two scores
Containing the NFL's top rushing attack was crucial too, with Cook and company registering just eighty-six yards, their fewest of the season and slightly more than half their 161.5-yard average
Additionally there were the three critical ball losses, and the two from Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area meaning a nine minute possession yielded no points, and his final quarter fumble that Miami converted to a touchdown just later
It was classic 'previous Bills teams' as they hurt themselves in the foot, getting into a hole on defensive side and Allen trying to overcompensate to dig his team out of it - not the calm, controlled, balanced Buffalo team we've witnessed this season
Miami have demonstrated a bit of everything this year so the verdict is uncertain on whether this is the beginning of something, but for the Bills they'll need an immediate bounce-back in a tough game against the Buccaneers next week as the New England are sneaking into a nice lead at the summit of the American Football Conference East
In Focus - Patriots See Path to Unexpected First Place
Speaking of the Patriots, they're among three different 8-2 teams in the NFL, all American Football Conference sides, but are they the best?
You can pick holes in the Patriots, Denver and Indianapolis actually for dominating the lesser sides, with just five of their total 24 victories achieved against teams with a winning record - and one of those was the Colts defeating the Denver
The Broncos beat the reigning champion Eagles in Philadelphia and are kings of the fourth-quarter while Indianapolis can ride Taylor, but the Patriots including Sunday's win in Tampa Bay to their primtime win in Orchard Park appears to be a declaration
Their two defeats occurred in new head coach Vrabel's initial three games, with seven straight wins, similar to Denver, from that point - but taking down Baker Mayfield after the Bucs had a week off to prepare was huge
Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials continue to be discussed, and he certainly deserves point for bravery after absorbing some hard tackles in Tampa Bay but hanging in there to guide his team to victory
The defensive unit is reliable and first-year running back Henderson burst onto the scene on game day with 147 rushing yards and two exhilerating touchdowns of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - becoming just the fifth ball carrier to break 22mph this year on his initial touchdown
Although you can argue who 'the top team' is technically, the Patriots should be favorites to finish with the best record due to their schedule - which features just one game against a winning team, albeit a significant contest against Buffalo
Visiting Baltimore is challenging too, but Denver have it even tougher in the AFC West division with the Chiefs to play twice, the Los Angeles Chargers (who might also compete for top seed but encounter the identical challenge) and additionally the Packers on the fixture list
The Colts also face the Chiefs, and have the Seahawks, San Francisco and two games with the 5-4 Jacksonville to face. There is a considerable distance to travel but the door is available for a shock number one position in the American Football Conference
Coming Up - Los Angeles and Seattle Prepare for Next Week Clash
Both squads with strong arguments to be better than all of the three 8-2 sides are National Football Conference West opponents the Seahawks and Rams, who both put up forty points to go to seven and two ahead of the upcoming major game between the pair in Los Angeles
Both have won four in a row, have signal callers in Stafford and Sam Darnold performing at an elite level (although Darnold had turnover issues on game day) with excellent pass catchers, and defensive units giving up fewer than twenty points a game
Each could easily be without a loss as too - particularly the Los Angeles as their pair of losses came in extra time against the 49ers and then that agonising loss in Philly when they had a game-winning field goal with the final play deflected and returned by the Eagles for a score
The Seahawks also lost to the 49ers, with a last-minute score in week one, before falling to the final play of the contest against the Buccaneers - so they are truly two of the best sides in the NFL
The next matchup on Sunday could be the best of the season to date
Player of the Week - Jonathan Taylor
Taylor might be on for a historic year after his incredible display in Berlin - rushing for 244 rushing yards, scoring three touchdowns and adding an additional 42 {receiving yards