Harris Shines in Buffalo’s Super Bowl
The Patriots may have lost against Buffalo, but Damien Harris was one of the few bright spots in a tough divisional matchup
Game Overview
The New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills fought in a Week 16 showdown with the division on the line. With better weather conditions, It was a stark difference from the Patriots' win over the Bills in Week 14, which included the Patriots rushing the ball 46 times and passing thrice. This time around, with an even playing field, Buffalo utilized their best player, Josh Allen, to defeat New England 33-21. The Patriots could not keep up with the Bills at the end of the game, which resulted in a two-possession victory for Buffalo. If the Patriots hope to be a playoff team, their defense must toughen up, while the Patriots passing offense needs to find its footing. People may blame the referees for the Patriots' loss, with a late hit from Matt Milano on Mac Jones offset by David Andrews confronting Milano. No matter the game's outlook, Buffalo outplayed New England from the beginning.
Buffalo’s Tremendous Performance
The Buffalo Bills, and their fans, tend to over-hype their matchups with the Patriots because of New England’s dominance over the past twenty-one years. Not to say that this game wasn't significant—the winner of this game would take control of the AFC East. Credit to Buffalo, they did what they had to win this game. Josh Allen was 30/47 with 314 passing yards and three passing touchdowns and had 12 carries for 64 yards on the ground. Isaiah McKenzie stood out with the game of his career, in place of the unvaccinated Cole Beasley, with 11 receptions for 125 yards. Myles Bryant became the starting Slot Cornerback early in the season with Jonathan Jones’ shoulder injury and has played higher than his pay grade all season. He was bound for a poor game, and McKenzie continuously shredded the undrafted rookie out of Washington. The Patriots need to cover Slot Receivers, period, or this team won’t be going anywhere in the playoffs.
Elite RB
Damien Harris is a bonafide elite Running Back in the NFL. He ran all over the Bills defense, for 103 yards on 18 carries, with a touchdown hat trick, or three touchdowns. It’s fair to say that Harris was the best player on the field for New England in Week 16. However, the Patriots expect to win on the ground each week. The 2021-22 Patriots have proven the formula is to impose their will in the trenches, and their defense will make enough stops. Instead, they rely on Mac Jones to chuck the ball downfield when the team has not a shot at winning. Jones has been a godsend all season and takes accountability for not playing to his standards, which is everything a coach wants in a Quarterback. The fact is that Jones must play better, which he can do if the Patriots wish to win games.
Week 17 Preview
A 9-6 team should be open to criticism, and the team has played better football. It was a game that the Patriots could have won but instead lost their hold on the division. It may be disappointing to see the team not play up to expectations, but Mac Jones’ first year in the NFL has been a success, with forgotten low expectations to begin the year. People should have tempered expectations when the team is in the first few years of a new era, and the team is in good hands with Mac Jones under center. The Patriots play against Jacksonville in Week 17 and a necessary bounce back must occur if the Patriots are legitimately a playoff team.
Reference Page
Images Courtesy of GettyImages
Statistics Courtesy of Pro Football Reference and NFL.com