Buffalo's Bay Day Gives New England Route to Top Spot - Highlights of Week 10 NFL Action
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The tenth week once more provided excitement, with a major surprise for the Buffalo Bills demonstrating the 'any Sunday can bring surprises' saying that attracts so many fans into the NFL
That result may have opened opportunities for the New England Patriots to move back into a top spot they formerly held, with a remaining games that provides them an advantage over their eight and two rivals
Meanwhile in the National Football Conference the Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams had ideal outcomes to arrange a monster clash in week 11, while our player of the week is pursuing milestones as well as the Most Valuable Player award
Analysis - Just a Bad Day for the Bills?
Could it simply have been an emotional comedown from beating the Chiefs last week or something more? This remains the question for the Bills to address
The Buffalo squad had secured seven victories in a consecutive games against the Dolphins but were second best from the start as the Miami team ran out 30-13 victors in an eye-opening result - and performance
MVP Josh Allen only got the squad's initial first down in the third period and first points in the fourth - admittedly Miami had 10 days to get ready but it was still a significant failure laid by one of the league's top offences
Tua Tagovailoa passed for two scores but rusher De'Von Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 combined yards and two scores
Containing the league's best running game was crucial too, with James Cook and teammates recording just 86 yards, their fewest of the season and just over fifty percent their 161.5-yard season average
Additionally there were the three critical ball losses, and the two from Josh Allen specifically. An interception in the scoring area resulting in a nine-minute drive yielded no points, and his fourth-quarter dropped ball that the Dolphins converted to seven points just two plays
It was classic 'previous Bills teams' as they shot themselves in the foot, getting into a hole on defense and Josh Allen trying to overcompensate to dig his team out of it - rather than the composed, controlled, well-balanced Buffalo team we've witnessed this season
The Dolphins have demonstrated a bit of everything this year so the jury's out on whether this is the beginning of something, but for the Bills they'll need an instant response in a tough game against Tampa Bay next week as the Patriots are sneaking into a comfortable advantage at the summit of the American Football Conference East
Spotlight - New England See Path to Surprise Top Seed
Regarding the New England, they're one of three 8-2 squads in the league, all AFC sides, but are they the top team?
One could find flaws in New England, the Broncos and the Colts actually for dominating the lesser sides, with only five of their total twenty-four wins achieved against opponents with a positive record - and one of those was the Indianapolis defeating the Denver
Denver defeated the champion Eagles in Philadelphia and are kings of the fourth-quarter while Indianapolis can rely on Jonathan Taylor, but the Patriots including Sunday's victory in Tampa to their prime time success in Orchard Park seems like a declaration
Their pair of losses occurred in new head coach Vrabel's first three contests, with seven consecutive wins, just like the Broncos, since then - but taking down Mayfield after the Bucs had a week off to get ready was significant
Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he definitely deserves credit for bravery after taking some hard tackles in Tampa but hanging in there to steer his side to victory
The defense is solid and rookie running back Henderson exploded on game day with 147 yards and two exciting scores of 55 and 69 yards - becoming just the fifth runner to exceed 22mph this season on his first score
Although you can debate who 'the best' is technically, the Patriots should be favourites to finish with the best record thanks to their schedule - which features just one game against a successful opponent, albeit a huge one against the Bills
Traveling to Baltimore is also tough, but Denver have it even tougher in the AFC West division with the Kansas City to face two times, the Los Angeles Chargers (who might also challenge for first place but encounter the same problem) and also the Packers on the schedule
The Colts also play the Chiefs, and have the Seattle, San Francisco and two games with the five and four Jacksonville to face. There's a long way to travel but the door is available for a surprise top seed in the AFC
Next Week - Los Angeles and Seattle Set for Week 11 Showdown
Two teams with solid claims to be better than all of the three eight and two sides are National Football Conference West opponents the Seahawks and Rams, who each scored forty points to reach seven and two ahead of the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster meeting between the two in LA
They've both won four in a consecutive games, have quarterbacks in Stafford and Sam Darnold playing at an elite level (although Sam Darnold had turnover issues on game day) with top receivers, and defensive units allowing fewer than twenty points a contest
Both could easily be undefeated as too - particularly the Los Angeles as their two defeats came in overtime against the 49ers and then that painful defeat in Philadelphia when they had a potentially winning kick with the final play deflected and returned by the Philadelphia for a touchdown
Seattle were also defeated to the 49ers, with a last-minute score in week one, before falling to the last kick of the contest against the Tampa Bay - so they're genuinely among the best sides in the NFL
The next matchup on Sunday could be the most exciting of the season so far
Player of the Week - Taylor
Taylor might be on for a record season after his remarkable performance in Berlin - running for 244 yards, registering three scores and adding an additional forty-two {receiving yards