Buffalo's Bay Day Opens Patriots Path to AFC East Lead - Best of Week 10 NFL Action

Quarterbacks in action
Josh Allen and Drake Maye will meet in the fifteenth week for potentially an AFC East title decider
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The tenth week again delivered, with a major surprise for the Bills demonstrating the 'any given Sunday' saying that attracts so many fans into the National Football League

This outcome may have opened things up for the Patriots to creep back into a top spot they used to occupy, with a schedule that provides them an edge over their eight and two rivals

Meanwhile in the National Football Conference the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams had ideal outcomes to arrange a major confrontation next week, while our player of the week is pursuing milestones as well as the Most Valuable Player award

Analysis - Just a Bad Day for Buffalo?

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

Was it just an emotional comedown from defeating Kansas City last week or a deeper issue? This remains the question for the Bills to address

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

MVP quarterback Josh Allen only achieved the squad's opening first down in the third quarter and first points in the final quarter - admittedly Miami had 10 days to get ready but it was nonetheless a massive egg laid by one of the league's best offenses

Dolphins quarterback Tua passed for two touchdowns but running back De'Von Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 total yards and two touchdowns

Bottling up the league's best running game was also key, with James Cook and teammates recording just 86 yards, their fewest of the year and just over half their 161.5 yard average

Then there were the three critical turnovers, and the two from Allen in particular. An interception in the scoring area resulting in a nine-minute possession yielded no points, and his fourth-quarter dropped ball that the Dolphins turned into a touchdown just two plays

It was typical 'previous Bills teams' as they hurt themselves in the foot, falling into a hole on defensive side and Josh Allen attempting to do too much to dig his team from the situation - rather than the composed, disciplined, well-balanced Bills we've witnessed this year

Miami have demonstrated a bit of everything this year so the jury's out on if this is the beginning of a trend, but for the Bills they'll need an immediate bounce-back in a difficult matchup against the Buccaneers in week 11 as the New England are quietly moving into a comfortable advantage at the summit of the American Football Conference East

In Focus - Patriots Identify Route to Surprise Top Seed

TreVeyon Henderson running
TreVeyon Henderson recorded the fifth fastest speed in the league this year

Speaking of the New England, they're one of three different eight and two teams in the league, all AFC sides, but are they the top team?

You can pick holes in New England, Denver and Indianapolis actually for feasting on the lesser sides, with only five of their total 24 victories coming against teams with a positive record - and one example was the Indianapolis defeating the Broncos

The Broncos defeated the champion Eagles in Philly and are masters of the final quarter while Indy can ride Jonathan Taylor, but the New England including Sunday's win in Tampa to their primtime win in Buffalo seems like a statement

Their pair of losses came in recently appointed coach Vrabel's initial three games, with seven consecutive wins, similar to the Broncos, from that point - but taking down Baker Mayfield after the Bucs had a week off to get ready was significant

Drake Maye's MVP claims continue to be discussed, and he definitely earns point for courage after absorbing some savage hits in Tampa but persevering to steer his team to success

The defensive unit is solid and rookie running back Henderson burst onto the scene on game day with 147 yards and two exhilerating touchdowns of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - becoming just the fifth ball carrier to break 22 miles per hour this year on his initial touchdown

Although you can debate who 'the top team' is statistically, the Pats should be favourites to finish with the top record thanks to their schedule - which features just a single matchup against a successful opponent, although a significant contest against Buffalo

Traveling to the Ravens is challenging too, but the Broncos have it more difficult in the AFC West with the Kansas City to play twice, the Chargers (who could also compete for first place but face the same problem) and additionally the Green Bay on the fixture list

The Colts also play the Chiefs, and have the Seattle, San Francisco and two games with the 5-4 Jaguars to face. There is a long way to travel but the door is open for a surprise number one position in the American Football Conference

Coming Up - Rams & Seahawks Set for Week 11 Clash

Two teams with solid claims to be better than all of the three 8-2 teams are NFC West rivals the Seattle and Rams, who each scored forty points to reach 7-2 ahead of next week's Hollywood blockbuster game between the pair in LA

They've both secured four victories in a consecutive games, have quarterbacks in Stafford and Sam Darnold performing at an high standard (although Darnold had ball security problems on game day) with excellent pass catchers, and defenses giving up fewer than twenty points a contest

Both could easily be undefeated as too - especially the Los Angeles as their two defeats occurred in extra time against the 49ers and then that agonising loss in Philadelphia when they had a potentially winning field goal with the final play blocked and run back by the Eagles for a touchdown

The Seahawks were also defeated to San Francisco, with a last-minute score in the opening week, before falling to the last kick of the contest against the Tampa Bay - so they are genuinely among the top teams in the NFL

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

Top Performer - Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor running
Taylor is pursuing multiple rushing and scoring records

Taylor might be on for a record season after his remarkable performance in Berlin - running for 244 yards, registering three scores and adding another forty-two {receiving yards

Jennifer Aguilar
Jennifer Aguilar

A tech journalist and business analyst with over a decade of experience covering digital transformation and market trends.