ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Damien Harris scored on a 64-yard run in blustery circumstances through which Mac Jones tried simply three passes, and the New England Patriots shored up their acquainted place atop the AFC with a 14-10 win over the Buffalo Payments on Monday night time.
Defensive again Miles Bryant sealed the victory by batting down Josh Allen’s go on the aim line with Buffalo going through fourth-and-14 at New England’s 18 with 1:55 remaining.
The Patriots leaned closely on their floor sport out-gaining the Payments 229 to 99 in yards dashing, with the chilly, windy snowy night time negating Allen’s strong-armed passing assault.
New England (9-4) gained its seventh consecutive sport, improved to 6-0 on the street this season and now has a two-win edge over the Payments (7-5) within the AFC East standings.
Harris completed with a season-best 111 yards dashing and opened the scoring on New England’s ninth play from scrimmage. Dealing with third-and-5, Harris burst although a gaping gap up the center and was untouched on his option to the top zone.
With the Patriots going through winds gusting as much as 40 mph, coach Invoice Belichick succeeded on a 2-point conversion, with Brandon Bolden scoring simply contained in the left pylon.
The Patriots by no means trailed with Nick People hitting two discipline targets — each with the wind at his again — from 34 and 41 yards.
The Payments continued their inconsistencies by dropping 4 of their previous seven, and haven’t gained consecutive video games since capping a 4-0 run spanning Sept. 19 to Oct. 10.
Although the 2 groups meet as soon as extra in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Dec. 26, Buffalo’s path to repeat as division champions, by no means thoughts earn a 3rd straight postseason berth, is immediately muddied. The AFC’s wild-card race now options 4 groups with seven wins. The Payments additionally dropped to 5-5 in opposition to AFC opponents and 3-1 in opposition to division opponents.
The Payments protection continues to be inclined in opposition to the run. The 222 yards dashing allowed on Monday got here two weeks after Jonathan Taylor scored 5 instances and gained 185 yards dashing within the Indianapolis Colts 41-15 win at Buffalo.
Jones was relegated to handoff duties in making an attempt one go — a 12-yard completion through which tight finish Jonnu Smith tipped the ball to himself— within the first half. In line with Elias Sports activities, the Patriots had the fewest yards passing and have become the primary staff to try only one one go within the first half since at the least 1978.
He completed 2 of three for 19 yards in turning into the NFL’s third quarterback to win 9 video games in his rookie season, becoming a member of Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, and Dallas’ Dak Prescott in 2016. He additionally joined Roethlisberger and Prescott in turning into the NFL’s third rookie QB to win his first six street begins.
Every staff capitalized on the opposite’s errors in buying and selling touchdowns within the opening quarter.
Harris’ TD got here three performs after New England’s Lawrence Man recovered Matt Breida’s fumble on the Patriots 31.
Buffalo responded on its subsequent possession which was prolonged after N’Keal Harry slipped had Matt Haack’s punt look off his helmet, with Siran Neal recovering the ball at New England’s 14. Allen hit Gabriel Davis on a slant route on the subsequent play to chop the result in 8-7.
The Payments blew a number of scoring possibilities by managing a landing and discipline aim on 4 journeys contained in the Patriots 20. That included Tyler Bass lacking a 34-yard try vast proper into the wind halfway by the fourth quarter.
The weather have been at instances overwhelming, together with a wind-chill that dropped the temperature into the mid-20s.
Considered one of New England’s Jake Bailey’s punts went sideways into the wind for 15 yards. Members of ESPN’s pre-game broadcast crew have been blown off their chairs alongside the sideline, and the orange flags was ripped off the highest of the left upright within the east finish of the stadium.
At the very least the snow stopped falling earlier than sport time, after the sector was lined by a white dusting two hours earlier than kickoff.
