Patriots Shut Out by Buffalo 16-0 at Gillette Stadium

Monday, October 03, 2016

Joe Calabro, GoLocalWorcester Sports Team

Bill Belichick

The New England Patriots fell 16-0 to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. This is the Patriots first loss to the Bills since December of 2014.

The last time the Patriots were shut out at home was in 1993 against the New York Jets.

Rookie Jacoby Brissett made his second start for the Patriots going 17 of 27 for 205 yards and a fumble, as the Patriots record now stands at 3-1 on the season. The Bills, who started the year 0-2, climb back to a 2-2 record and are in second place in the AFC East.

Bills Grab Control Early

Behind quarterback Tyrod Taylor the Bills took their first offensive possession 65 yards on 12 plays ending in a LeSean McCoy seven yard touchdown catch to put Buffalo up 7-0. The Bills are the only team to score first quarter points against the Patriots so far this season.

Buffalo would kick field goals on each of their next two offensive possessions to take a 13-0 lead into the locker room at the half.

The Bills would add another field goal with 33 seconds left in the third quarter to go up 16-0 in the game.

Patriots Missed Chances

The Patriots offense did not have a whole lot going in this game, only 13 first downs and 277 total yards on the day.

But they did have early chances that could have changed momentum.

With 5:10 left in the second quarter, the Patriots drove the ball to the Buffalo 16 yard line.

Following a holding penalty on center David Andrews, Brissett ran the ball on 3rd and 11 but fumbled and Buffalo recovered.

In the 3rd quarter, the Patriots drove to the Buffalo 30 yard line where they set up kicker Stephen Gostkowski for a 48 yard field goal attempt. Gostkowski missed it to the right.

Next up

The Patriots return to action on Sunday, October 9 when they visit the Cleveland Browns. The game will be Tom Brady's first game back from suspension.

Kick off is set for 1 p.m.

Related Slideshow: 5 Things to Know About Jacoby Brissett

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Bill Parcells is his Mentor

Starting in when Jacoby Brissett was at Dwyer High School in 2011, former Patriots head coach, Bill Parcells, has been a mentor to him and thinks very highly of him as a person and as a football player.

“I have a very high regard for this young man. He’s an awesome kid. He’s very bright. He has zero personal issues. He’s a very dedicated, committed guy and I think he’s going to the absolute perfect place for him,” Parcells told the Boston Herald in May, just a few days after the NFL Draft.

Parcells continued, "He’s a Curtis Martin, Willie McGinest, Troy Brown type player. That’s the kind of guy he is. That’s what New England is getting. Those kinds, those Tedy Bruschi types, those players who’ve been successful -- he’s very similar in his personal life to those kinds of guys.”

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Finished 2nd to Austin Rivers for Florida Mr. Basketball

Not only was Jacoby Brissett a star football player at Dwyer High School in West Palm Beach, Florida, he was also a star basketball player, finishing second to Austin Rivers in Florida Mr. Basketball voting in 2011.

Brissett was the 5A class Player of the Year and rated as a two star prospect at shooting guard by ESPN.

ESPN ranked him as the 23rd best shooting guard in the class of 2011 and the 85th best prospect overall.

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Will be 1st African American QB to Start for Patriots

If Brissett does start, Patriots history and NFL history will be made on Thursday night as he will be the first African American quarterback ever to make a start for the New England Patriots.

The Patriots will be the 31st team in NFL history to start an African American quarterback, leaving the New York Giants as the only team to never start an African American QB.

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His Best College Game

Jacoby Brissett had one of the best games of his college career in 2014 when his NC State Wolfpack took on the Florida State Seminoles and Jameis Winston.

Brissett threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns in the game but, NC State lost to #1 FSU.

See the Highlights Below:

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What he did in College

In his college career, which started in Florida and ended at North Carolina State, Brissett threw for 5,723 yards and 46 touchdown passes, 43 of which came at N.C. State.

He also rushed for 902 yards and 12 touchdowns.

In the 2015 season, Brissett ranked 5th in the ACC in passes completed and 3rd in passing touchdowns.