No lead is ever safe when Josh Allen is the other quarterback on the field. The New England Patriots found that out the hard way by blowing a 21-point lead and falling in defeat for the first time since September on Sunday.
Their 10-game win streak was snapped, and suddenly, the AFC East division is back up for grabs after the Patriots’ 35-31 loss to the Bills in Foxborough.
Granted, there will be talk of the Buffalo-leaning officiating, but it’s hard to point fingers at the men and women in the pinstripes when the Patriots had every opportunity to win the game.
The offense started off playing with its head on fire. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter. But there’s no question that he ended up playing his worst game of the season. It was the first time he had been held to less than 200 yards passing all year, going 14-of-23 passing for 155 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.
Meanwhile, rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson looked like a football cheat code in a game where he racked up 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
And it still wasn’t enough.
The Bills got their run game going with running back James Cook and Allen, and it opened up their entire offense to exploit a Patriots defense that simply looked outmatched down the stretch. At one point in the second half, the Bills put together five consecutive touchdown drives. It was a complete defensive meltdown for New England when it mattered most.
Allen finished the game going 19-of-28 passing for 193 yards and three touchdowns. It wasn’t a monstrous stat sheet performance, but it was enough to knock off the Patriots on the road in a successful revenge game. Along with the horrendous run defense, special teams also had a rough night for the Patriots with penalties and too many blown tackles.
Bills returner Ray Davis feasted with a 41.0 return average on four returns in the game.
The Patriots still own the lead in the AFC East, but they’ll have another tough game on their schedule with a Sunday Night Football showdown on the road against the Baltimore Ravens next week. Things could get tricky if they lose, and the Bills continue to roll down the stretch.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Instant analysis of Patriots’ heartbreaking 35-31 loss to Bills
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