Bills' Disappointing Performance Gives New England Route to Top Spot - Best of Week 10 NFL Action

Quarterbacks in action
Josh Allen and Drake Maye are scheduled to face in the fifteenth week for potentially an AFC East title decider
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The tenth week once more provided excitement, with a major surprise for the Buffalo Bills demonstrating the 'any given Sunday' saying that attracts so many people into the NFL

That result could have created opportunities for the Patriots to move back into a top spot they formerly held, with a schedule that provides them an advantage over their eight and two rivals

Meanwhile in the National Football Conference the Seahawks and Rams had perfect results to set up a major confrontation in week 11, while our top performer is chasing records as well as the Most Valuable Player award

Analysis - Just a Bad Day for the Bills?

Josh Allen in action
Did Josh Allen try too much or was it just a bad day for Buffalo?

Was it just an emotional letdown from defeating Kansas City the previous week or a deeper issue? This remains the question for the Bills to answer

The Bills had secured seven victories in a consecutive games against Miami but were second best from the start as the Dolphins ran out 30-13 victors in an eye-opening result - and display

MVP Josh Allen only got the team's initial first down in the third quarter and initial scoring in the final quarter - yes Miami had ten days to get ready but it was nonetheless a massive egg laid by one of the league's top offences

Dolphins quarterback Tua threw two scores but running back Achane was the devastating difference, with 225 total yards and two scores

Bottling up the league's best rushing attack was crucial too, with James Cook and teammates recording just eighty-six yards, their lowest of the season and just over fifty percent their 161.5-yard season average

Additionally there were the three crucial ball losses, and the pair from Josh Allen specifically. An interception in the end zone meaning a nine-minute drive yielded no points, and his fourth-quarter dropped ball that the Dolphins turned into seven points just later

It was classic 'previous Bills teams' as they hurt themselves in the foot, getting into a deficit on defense and Josh Allen trying to overcompensate to dig his team from the situation - not the composed, disciplined, well-balanced Buffalo team we've seen this season

The Dolphins have served up a bit of everything this season so the verdict is uncertain on whether this is the beginning of something, but for the Bills they'll need an instant response in a difficult matchup against Tampa Bay in week 11 as the New England are sneaking into a comfortable advantage at the top of the American Football Conference East

In Focus - New England See Path to Unexpected First Place

TreVeyon Henderson running
Henderson clocked the fifth fastest velocity in the league this season

Regarding the Patriots, they're one of three 8-2 squads in the NFL, all AFC sides, but are they the top team?

You can pick holes in New England, the Broncos and the Colts really for feasting on the lesser sides, with just five of their combined twenty-four victories achieved against opponents with a winning record - and one example was the Colts defeating the Broncos

The Broncos defeated the champion Eagles in Philly and are masters of the fourth-quarter while Indianapolis can rely on Taylor, but the New England including Sunday's victory in Tampa to their primtime success in Buffalo appears to be a statement

Their two defeats occurred in new head coach Vrabel's first three contests, with seven straight wins, just like the Broncos, from that point - but defeating Mayfield after the Bucs had a week off to get ready was significant

Drake Maye's MVP claims won't go away, and he definitely earns credit for courage after absorbing some savage hits in Tampa but persevering to steer his team to success

The defense is reliable and first-year running back Henderson burst onto the scene on game day with 147 yards and two exhilerating scores of 55 and 69 yards - establishing himself as just the fifth different ball carrier to break 22 miles per hour this year on his first score

While you can debate who 'the top team' is statistically, the Patriots should be favorites to end with the top record due to their remaining opponents - which features just a single matchup against a winning team, albeit a significant contest against the Bills

Visiting Baltimore is also tough, but Denver have it more difficult in the AFC West division with the Kansas City to play twice, the Chargers (who could also challenge for top seed but face the identical challenge) and additionally the Green Bay on the schedule

The Indianapolis also play the Kansas City, and have the Seahawks, 49ers and two games with the 5-4 Jaguars to contend with. There's a long way to go but the door is available for a surprise top seed in the AFC

Coming Up - Rams & Seahawks Set for Next Week Clash

Two teams with strong arguments to be superior to all of the three different eight and two teams are NFC West opponents the Seattle and Los Angeles, who both scored 40 burgers to reach seven and two ahead of next week's Hollywood blockbuster meeting between the pair in LA

They've both won four in a consecutive games, have signal callers in Stafford and Sam Darnold playing at an high standard (although Sam Darnold had ball security problems on game day) with excellent pass catchers, and defensive units giving up under 20 points a game

Both could realistically be undefeated as too - especially the Rams as their two defeats occurred in extra time against the San Francisco and then that agonising loss in Philly when they had a potentially winning field goal with the last kick deflected and run back by the Philadelphia for a score

Seattle were also defeated to San Francisco, with a last-minute score in the opening week, before losing to the final play of the contest against the Tampa Bay - so they are genuinely two of the top teams in the league

The next matchup on Sunday could be the best of the year so far

Player of the Week - Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor running
Jonathan Taylor is pursuing several running and touchdown milestones

Jonathan Taylor could be on for a record season after his incredible display in Berlin - rushing for 244 yards, scoring three scores and contributing an additional 42 {receiving yards

Tiffany Delgado
Tiffany Delgado

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