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Loss to Bills Hammers Home Tom Brady’s Importance to Patriots’ Super Bowl Hopes
- Updated: October 3, 2016
After the New England Patriots started the 2016 season 3-0 following a 27-0 whitewashing of the Houston Texans, there was a lot of chatter about “The Patriot Way.” That given Bill Belichick’s mastery of the art of coaching, the Pats could win with just about anybody under center.
On Sunday in New England, another whitewashing unfolded. This time, however, the Patriots were on the receiving end. In getting waxed 16-0 by the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots showed they are indeed mortal.
And they demonstrated just how badly they need their superstar quarterback back on the field.
With Tom Brady serving the last game of his suspension and Jimmy Garappolo nursing a sore shoulder, rookie Jacoby Brissett made his second career start against the Bills. While the youngster was something of a Cinderella story against the Texans, Brissett turned back into a pumpkin against the Bills.
The day got off to a weird start for Brissett, who was involved in a pregame shoving match with some Bills players prior to kickoff. Then, on the game’s first play, what first appeared to be a 90-yard catch and run by wide receiver Julian Edelman was called back due to a penalty.
Things went downhill from there.
With the Bills completely selling out to stop tailback LeGarrette Blount (who entered the day leading the NFL in rushing), it fell to Brissett to try to move the ball through the air.
Brissett finished 17-of-27 for 205 yards, but the New England offense sputtered all day long. The young signal-caller also fumbled twice, losing one that killed New England’s best scoring chance of the day.
It wasn’t all Brissett’s fault. The Bills held Blount in check, limiting him to just 54 yards on 13 carries. Tight end Rob Gronkowski and Edelman combined for two catches for 27 yards.
New England’s defense, which played masterfully against Houston, had its issues as well. The Patriots allowed Tyrod Taylor to have perhaps his best game of the season, and after completely stymieing Houston’s Lamar Miller, LeSean McCoy gashed them for 108 total yards and a score.
On a day where the Patriots had fewer than 300 yards of total offense and possessed the ball less than 24 …
