Patriots vs Bills Recap

Offense: New England relied on the running game to manage a 13-0 win in a terrible windstorm. The Patriots passed just 8 times, while attempting 47 rushes. Sammy Morris and Lamont Jordan split the carries at runningback and combined for 149 yards and 1 touchdown. In the first half, the only score was a Patriots field goal after they failed to convert on a goal line situation. To adjust to the windy conditions, both the Patriots and Bills were content to run down the play clock and limit the amount of possessions. New England focused on power running, using the middle of the field to produce consistent gains. Once they established the line of scrimmage, they were more willing to occasionally run towards the sidelines to stretch the defensive line and linebackers. Obviously, Cassel did not make much of an impact with his throwing but did what was best for the team. The only Patriots touchdown came off a Bills fumble that set up a short field. A Lamont Jordan goal line rush allowed the Patriots to stretch the lead to 10 points, and they added a field goal for the final margin of victory. New England appeared to feel comfortable and just wanted to control the game with their small lead. Every time they had possession of the ball, it seemed like they were content to protect their lead and keep the ball away from the Bills. The conservative gameplan worked, but it was clear that the playoff hopes for the team were not within their grasp.

Defense: In the first half, Buffalo relied exclusively on the run and became too predictable for the Patriots defensive line. Handing the ball to Fred Jackson and running up the middle on every play did not lead to prosuctive drives, all it did was kill the clock. The only scoring opportunity for Buffalo was a missed field goal attempt from over 40 yards against a swirling wind. New England controlled the line of scrimmage and got pressure in the center of the line. By stuffing the rushes up the middle, it forced Buffalo to run laterally instead of straight up the field, and that gave the Patriots more time to react. Later in the game, the Bills tried to throw the ball and had marginal success. They completed short passes, but rarely moved the ball into Patriots territory. The windy conditions helped New England's secondary since they did not have to defend many deep passes. This type of field condition is perfect for any defense, since it limits what the opposing offense can do when it comes to the pass. Trent Edwarsd didn't show much consistency in pressure situations, whether it was against a solid pass rush or on a third down play. Despite the nice performance to close out the season, the Patriots did show weaknesses against high powered passing attacks, such as those of the Chargers, Colts, and Jets. Although the Patriots played fairly well over the course of the season, the biggest improvement will need to come in the secondary, especially against the deep pass.

By Chad Fukuoka
ProFootball-fans.com New England Patriots Correspondent