Bills' Bay Day Opens New England Path to AFC East Lead - Best of Week 10 NFL Action

Quarterbacks in action
Josh Allen and Drake Maye will meet in week 15 for what could be an AFC East championship showdown
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Week 10 again delivered, with a major surprise for the Bills proving the 'any given Sunday' mantra that attracts so many people into the NFL

This outcome may have opened things up for the Patriots to move back into a top spot they formerly held, with a schedule that provides them an advantage over their 8-2 competitors

Meanwhile in the NFC the Seahawks and Rams had ideal outcomes to set up a major confrontation next week, while our top performer is chasing records as well as the MVP award

Analysis - Simply an Off Day for the Bills?

Josh Allen in action
Was Josh Allen try too much or was it just a poor performance for the Bills?

Was it just an emotional letdown from beating the Chiefs the previous week or a deeper issue? That's the question for the Bills to address

The Bills had secured seven victories in a row against Miami but were outperformed from the start as the Dolphins ran out 30-13 victors in an surprising result - and display

MVP Josh Allen only achieved the team's opening first down in the third quarter and first points in the fourth - yes Miami had ten days to prepare but it was still a significant failure laid by one of the league's top offences

Tua Tagovailoa passed for two scores but running back 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 registering just 86 yards, their fewest of the year and just over half their 161.5-yard season average

Additionally there were the three critical turnovers, and the two from Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area resulting in a nine minute drive produced nothing, and his final quarter dropped ball that the Dolphins turned into a touchdown just two plays

It was classic 'previous Bills teams' as they hurt themselves in the foot, falling into a deficit on defensive side and Josh Allen trying to do too much to rescue his squad from the situation - rather than the calm, disciplined, well-balanced Buffalo team we've witnessed this year

The Dolphins have served up a varied performances this year so the jury's out on if this is the start of something, but for the Bills they'll require an instant response in a tough game against Tampa Bay in week 11 as the New England are sneaking into a comfortable advantage at the top of the AFC East

Spotlight - Patriots See Path to Surprise Top Seed

TreVeyon Henderson running
Henderson clocked the fifth fastest velocity in the league this season

Speaking of the New England, they're among three different 8-2 teams in the league, all American Football Conference teams, but are they the best?

You can find flaws in New England, Denver and Indianapolis actually for feasting on the weaker opponents, with only five of their total 24 victories coming against teams with a positive record - and one example was the Indianapolis defeating the Denver

The Broncos beat the reigning champion Eagles in Philly and are kings of the final quarter while Indianapolis can ride Taylor, but the Patriots adding Sunday's victory in Tampa to their prime time win in Buffalo seems like a statement

Their two defeats came in new head coach Mike Vrabel's initial three contests, with seven consecutive wins, similar to Denver, from that point - but defeating Baker Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a bye to get ready was huge

Drake Maye's MVP claims won't go away, and he definitely deserves credit for bravery after absorbing some hard tackles in Tampa Bay but hanging in there to guide his team to victory

The defense is solid and first-year running back TreVeyon Henderson exploded on game day with 147 rushing yards and two exciting touchdowns of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - establishing himself as just the fifth different runner to break 22 miles per hour this season on his initial touchdown

Although you can argue who 'the top team' is statistically, the Pats should be favourites to finish with the top record due to their remaining opponents - which features just one game against a successful opponent, although a huge one against Buffalo

Traveling to Baltimore is challenging too, 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 compete for first place but encounter the same problem) and additionally the Packers on the fixture list

The Indianapolis also face the Chiefs, and have the Seattle, 49ers and two matchups with the 5-4 Jaguars to face. There's a long way to travel but the opportunity is open for a surprise top seed in the AFC

Next Week - Rams & Seahawks Set for Next Week Showdown

Both squads with solid claims to be superior to all of the three eight and two sides are NFC West rivals the Seahawks and Los Angeles, who both scored forty points to reach 7-2 ahead of next week's Hollywood blockbuster meeting between the two in Los Angeles

They've both won four in a consecutive games, have quarterbacks in Stafford and Sam Darnold performing at an elite level (although Sam Darnold had ball security problems on Sunday) with top receivers, and defensive units giving up under 20 points a game

Both could realistically be without a loss as too - particularly the Rams as their two defeats came in overtime against the San Francisco and then that painful defeat in Philly when they had a game-winning field goal with the last kick blocked 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're truly among the best sides in the NFL

The next matchup on Sunday could be the most exciting of the season to date

Top Performer - Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor running
Taylor is chasing down several running and touchdown milestones

Taylor might be on for a historic year after his incredible display in Germany - rushing for 244 rushing yards, scoring three scores and contributing another forty-two {receiving yards

Anthony Thomas
Anthony Thomas

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