Buffalo's Bay Day Opens New England Route to Top Spot - Highlights of Week 10 NFL Action
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The tenth week again delivered, with a huge upset for the Buffalo Bills demonstrating the 'any given Sunday' saying that attracts so many fans into the National Football League
That result may have opened things up for the Patriots to creep back into a leading position they used to occupy, with a schedule that gives them an advantage over their 8-2 rivals
Over in the NFC the Seahawks and Rams had ideal outcomes to set up a monster clash in week 11, while our player of the week is pursuing milestones as well as the Most Valuable Player award
Analysis - 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 consecutive games against Miami but were outperformed from the beginning as the Dolphins emerged as 30-13 winners in an eye-opening outcome - and performance
MVP quarterback Josh Allen only got the team's opening first down in the third quarter and first points in the fourth - admittedly Miami had ten days to get ready but it was nonetheless a massive egg produced by one of the NFL's top offences
Dolphins quarterback Tua passed for two touchdowns but rusher Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 total yards and two scores
Bottling up the NFL's top running game was crucial too, with James Cook and company registering just 86 yards, their fewest of the season and just over half their 161.5-yard average
Additionally there were the three crucial ball losses, and the pair from Allen specifically. An pass caught by defense in the end zone resulting in a nine-minute possession produced nothing, and his final quarter fumble that Miami converted to seven points just later
It was classic 'old Buffalo' as they shot themselves in the foot, falling into a hole on defense and Josh Allen trying to do too much to dig his team from the situation - not the composed, controlled, well-balanced Bills we've witnessed this season
The Dolphins have served up a bit of everything this season so the jury's out on whether this is the start of a trend, but for the Bills they'll require an immediate bounce-back in a difficult matchup against the Buccaneers next week as the Patriots are sneaking into a comfortable advantage at the summit of the AFC East
In Focus - New England Identify Route to Unexpected First Place
Regarding the Patriots, they're one of three different 8-2 teams in the NFL, all American Football Conference sides, but could they be the top team?
You can find flaws in New England, the Broncos and Indianapolis actually for dominating the weaker opponents, with just five of their combined twenty-four victories coming against teams with a positive record - and one of those was the Colts defeating the Denver
The Broncos beat the champion Eagles in Philly and are masters of the fourth-quarter while Indianapolis can rely on Jonathan Taylor, but the Patriots adding Sunday's victory in Tampa to their primtime success in Buffalo seems like a statement
Their pair of losses occurred in new head coach Vrabel's initial three games, with seven consecutive wins, similar to the Broncos, since then - but taking down Baker Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a week off to prepare was huge
Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials continue to be discussed, and he definitely earns credit for courage after absorbing some hard tackles in Tampa but hanging in there to steer his side to victory
The defensive unit is reliable and first-year rusher TreVeyon Henderson burst onto the scene on Sunday with 147 rushing yards and two exhilerating scores of 55 and 69 yards - establishing himself as just the fifth runner to break 22mph this season on his first score
Although you can argue who 'the top team' is statistically, the Patriots should be favorites to end with the top record thanks to their schedule - which includes just one game against a successful opponent, albeit a huge one against Buffalo
Visiting Baltimore is also tough, but Denver have it even tougher in the AFC West division with the Kansas City to play twice, the Los Angeles Chargers (who might also challenge for first place but encounter the identical challenge) and additionally the Green Bay on the schedule
The Indianapolis also play the Chiefs, and have the Seattle, 49ers and two matchups with the 5-4 Jaguars to contend with. There's a long way to go but the door is available for a surprise top seed in the AFC
Coming Up - Rams & Seahawks Set for Week 11 Clash
Both squads with solid claims to be better than all of the three different eight and two teams are National Football Conference West opponents the Seahawks and Los Angeles, who each put up 40 burgers to go to 7-2 before the upcoming major meeting between the pair in LA
They've both won four in a consecutive games, have quarterbacks in Stafford and Sam Darnold playing at an high standard (although Darnold had turnover issues on Sunday) with excellent pass catchers, and defenses allowing fewer than twenty points a game
Each could realistically be without a loss as well - particularly the Rams as their pair of losses occurred in overtime against the 49ers and then that agonising loss in Philly when they had a potentially winning field goal with the last kick deflected and returned by the Philadelphia for a touchdown
The Seahawks also lost to San Francisco, with a late touchdown in the opening week, before falling to the last kick of the contest against the Buccaneers - so they're genuinely two of the best sides in the league
The upcoming game on Sunday could be the best of the year to date
Player of the Week - Taylor
Jonathan Taylor might be on for a record season after his incredible display in Berlin - running for 244 yards, registering three touchdowns and contributing an additional 42 {receiving yards