NEW: Defense Comes Up Big as Patriots Edge Bills 16-10
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Devin McCourty had an interception in the game. PHOTO: Jeffrey Beall/wikipedia
The defense had four interceptions and six sacks in a dominating performance.
The performance was much needed as quarterback Tom Brady only threw for 150 yards and the offense struggled to move the ball.
The Patriots improve to 4-0 on the year, while Buffalo falls to 3-1.
Defense Seals Win
The Patriots led 16-10 when Buffalo started their final drive from their own 14-yard line with just over three minutes to play in the game and no timeouts.
The Bills managed to move the ball to the New England 39-yard-line when quarterback Matt Barkley connected with Dawson Knox on a 19-yard pass.
Barkley was in the game after Buffalo starter Josh Allen left with a head injury.
The game would end when Barkley threw an interception to Jamie Collins to seal a New England win.
Goal Line Stand
Leading 16-10, the Patriots defense came up with arguably the stop of the season to this point early in the fourth quarter.
Buffalo had the ball on the Patriots three-yard line and decided to go for it on fourth down with backup quarterback Matt Barkley under center.
Barkley was in the game after Buffalo start Josh Allen left the game after being hit in the head by Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones.
New England got a break on the hit as the personal foul penalty was wiped out by a holding call on Buffalo. The Bills moved the ball nonetheless.
On the fourth-down play, Barkley threw a pass to the right that was intended for Zay Jones, but it fell incomplete.
It was originally ruled an interception by Patrick Chung, but was overruled following a review.
On the Bills next possession, the Patriots defense would come through again.
Buffalo had the ball second and ten from their own 37-yard line, but Barkley would be sacked for a loss of nine yards.
The Bills would punt three plays later from their own 41-yard line.
Defense & Special Teams Spark Patriots Early
Early on in the game, it was the Patriots defense and special teams unit that dominated.
With the game scoreless early in the first quarter, Allen’s pass over the middle was picked off by New England safety Devin McCourty and returned to midfield where the Patriots offense took over possession.
McCourty now has an interception in each of the Patriots first four games of the season.
The New England offense would capitalize on the field position when a couple of plays later Brady connected with James White on a 26-yard pass to set the Patriots up inside the Buffalo five-yard line.
Brandon Bolden would then score on a four-yard run to give the Patriots a 6-0 lead after kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed the extra point.
The missed extra point was Gostkowski's fourth missed extra point of the season, and nearly cost the Patriots.
At the end of Buffalo’s next possession, New England’s J.C. Jackson blocked a punt, which would be recovered by Matthew Slater in the end zone to give the Patriots a 13-0 lead after a Gostkowski extra point.
The Patriots defense would add another interception later in the first quarter when Jackson picked off Allen, but the offense would not be able to convert.
Patriots Offense Struggles
The Patriots offense really struggled to get anything going in the game, with their only touchdown coming off the McCourty interception.
The best drive of the game for the offense came late in the second quarter in which quarterback Tom Brady connected with Josh Gordon on a big play that put New England just outside Buffalo’s goal line.
However, Brady would throw an interception in the end zone to eliminate any chance of the Patriots getting points on the drive.
Brady finished the game completing 18 of 39 passes for 150 yards and an interception for a completion percentage of 46.2%.
The 46.2% is the lowest completion percentage of Brady's career in a win.
Next Up
The Patriots return to action on Sunday, October 6 when they visit the Washington Redskins.
Game time is set for 1 p.m.
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