New England Patriots (2-5) – Buffalo Bills (4-3): 29-26
Dallas? No. The Saints ? Neither. Las Vegas? Tempting, but not enough. Bill Belichick wanted to wait for the perfect moment. What better way to become a little more legendary than a victory against a division opponent. Yes, the moment everyone in New England has been waiting for has finally arrived. Bill Belichick won the 300e victory of his coaching career in the regular season, against one of his favorite victims, the Bills.
The legendary Pats coach was able to count on a rediscovered attack. One year and six days. It’s been 371 days and a win against the Browns to find a record of a game where the Patriots scored 29 points or more. At the time, it was Bailey Zappe at quarterback. Today, for the first time this season, Mac Jones (25/30, 272 yards, 2 TDs) looked like a solid NFL quarterback. With a great game from receivers Kendrick Bourne and Demario Douglas, the New England offense finally proved it had potential
The Patriots are in the lead
The game couldn’t have started better for the Patriots. On their first two drives, they scored a field goal and above all a touchdown, their first this season in a first quarter. Defensively, they also got into the game in the best possible way, thanks to an interception by Jabrill Peppers on the Bills’ first offensive action.
It must be said that Buffalo, before the last quarter, looked more like the team that struggled against the Giants than the one that crushed the Dolphins. Josh Allen (27/41, 265 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) and his attack were under constant pressure from the New England defense, and the lack of a number 2 receiver behind Stefon Diggs was once again made to feel.
Buffalo, despite its difficulties during three quarters of the match, nevertheless believed it would succeed in turning the tide. With just over 7 minutes remaining, the Patriots led by 12 points following a Bourne touchdown. A little less than 3 minutes later, this same Bourne fumbled what looked like a match point and gave the Bills the opportunity to go ahead for the first time in the game. Thing was done thanks to a strong touchdown from Josh Allen. With less than two minutes remaining, Buffalo leads by three points.
Old School New England
But that was without counting on the Patriots, who seemed to have decided that this was the opportunity and the dream opponent to offer their coach his 300th victory. Races from Rhamondre Stevenson, Mac Jones who connects with his tight ends, a drive in the purest Patriots style, old-fashioned. To finish the action, Jones found Mike Gesicki in the end zone, and gave New England its second victory of the season.
Already considered by many, and rightly so, as the best coach of all time, Bill Belichick is further establishing his legend this evening. This 300th victory in the regular season brings him into a very exclusive club, in which he joins George Halas (318 victories) and Don Shula (328). Also with the records for the most victories in the playoffs (31), the number of appearances (9) and victories (6) in the Super Bowl, this is a new line that is added to the long list of accomplishments by Belichick. Enough to give new impetus to your team?
For Buffalo, the series of bad matches continues, the third after the demonstration at the top against Miami. It is increasingly complicated to predict what this team will do. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes worrying, the Bills shot themselves in the foot in the duel for the division title against the Dolphins.
