Bills' Disappointing Performance Opens New England Route to Top Spot - Highlights of NFL Week 10
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The tenth week once more provided excitement, with a huge upset for the Bills demonstrating the 'any given Sunday' saying that draws so many people into the National Football League
That result could have created opportunities for the Patriots to move back into a top spot they used to occupy, with a schedule that provides them an advantage over their eight and two competitors
Meanwhile in the National Football Conference the Seahawks and Rams had ideal outcomes to set up a major confrontation next week, while our player of the week is pursuing milestones as well as the MVP award
The Breakdown - Simply an Off Day for Buffalo?
Could it simply have been an emotional comedown from defeating Kansas City last week or a deeper issue? This remains the question for the Bills to answer
The Bills had won seven in a row against the Dolphins but were outperformed from the start as the Dolphins emerged as 30-13 victors in an surprising result - and performance
MVP Josh Allen only achieved the team's initial first down in the third period and initial scoring in the final quarter - yes the Dolphins had 10 days to get ready but it was nonetheless a significant failure produced by one of the NFL's best offenses
Dolphins quarterback Tua threw two touchdowns but rusher Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 combined yards and two touchdowns
Bottling up the league's best running game was also key, with Cook and teammates registering just 86 yards, their lowest of the year and just over half their 161.5-yard average
Then there were the three critical ball losses, and the two from Josh Allen specifically. An interception in the end zone resulting in a nine-minute possession yielded no points, and his fourth-quarter dropped ball that Miami turned into seven points just later
It was typical 'previous Bills teams' as they shot themselves in the foot, getting into a deficit on defense and Josh Allen trying to do too much to rescue his squad from the situation - not the calm, controlled, balanced Buffalo team we've witnessed this season
The Dolphins have demonstrated a varied performances this season so the verdict is uncertain on whether this is the start of a trend, but for Buffalo they'll require an instant response in a tough game against the Buccaneers in week 11 as the Patriots are sneaking into a comfortable advantage at the summit of the American Football Conference East
In Focus - Patriots See Path to Unexpected First Place
Speaking of the New England, they're one of three 8-2 squads in the NFL, all AFC teams, but could they be the best?
You can pick holes in the Patriots, Denver and the Colts actually for dominating the weaker opponents, with only five of their combined 24 wins achieved against opponents with a winning record - and one of those was the Colts beating the Denver
Denver defeated the reigning champion Eagles in Philly and are masters of the fourth-quarter while Indianapolis can ride Jonathan Taylor, but the New England including Sunday's victory in Tampa to their prime time success in Orchard Park seems like a declaration
Their pair of losses came in new head coach Vrabel's initial three contests, with seven consecutive victories, just like Denver, since then - but defeating Mayfield after the Bucs had a bye to get ready was huge
Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he certainly earns credit for courage after taking some hard tackles in Tampa but persevering to guide his side to success
The defensive unit is solid and first-year running back TreVeyon Henderson burst onto the scene on Sunday with 147 rushing yards and two exhilerating scores of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - establishing himself as just the fifth different runner to break 22 miles per hour this year on his initial touchdown
While you can argue who 'the best' is statistically, the Pats should be favorites to finish with the top record due to their schedule - which features just one game against a successful opponent, albeit a significant contest against the Bills
Traveling to Baltimore is also tough, but Denver have it even tougher in the AFC West with the Kansas City to play twice, the Chargers (who might also compete for top seed but encounter the identical challenge) and also the Packers on the fixture list
The Colts also play the Chiefs, and have the Seahawks, 49ers and two games with the 5-4 Jaguars to face. There is a long way to go but the opportunity is open for a shock top seed in the American Football Conference
Next Week - Los Angeles and Seattle Prepare for Next Week Showdown
Two teams with strong arguments to be better than all of the three eight and two teams are NFC West rivals the Seahawks and Rams, who each scored 40 burgers to reach seven and two ahead of the upcoming major meeting between the two in LA
They've both secured four victories in a consecutive games, have quarterbacks in Stafford and Darnold playing at an elite level (although Darnold had ball security problems on Sunday) with excellent pass catchers, and defensive units giving up under 20 points a contest
Each could realistically be without a loss as too - especially the Rams as their pair of losses came in overtime against the San Francisco and then that agonising loss in Philly when they had a game-winning kick with the last kick deflected and run back by the Philadelphia for a score
The Seahawks also lost to San Francisco, with a last-minute score in the opening week, before losing to the last kick of the game against the Buccaneers - so they are genuinely among the top teams in the league
The next matchup on Sunday could be the best of the season so far
Player of the Week - Taylor
Taylor might be on for a historic year after his incredible display in Berlin - rushing for 244 yards, registering three scores and contributing an additional forty-two {receiving yards