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3 things we learned about the Bills
The Sports Xchange
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Tom Brady and the New England Patriots continued their dominance over Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills.
Brady passed for 466 yards — the second-highest total of his career — and three touchdowns Sunday to lead the New England Patriots in a 40-32 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
On a day when Buffalo’s fans hoped to set a Guinness World Record for noise, Brady deflated the home crowd’s enthusiasm.
“It was really loud, no doubt,” Brady said. “I thought the good plays settled them down a little bit. … It’s a good team, great defense, tough place to play, and it was a great win. It’s great to be 2-0.”
The Patriots (2-0) have now beaten the Bills (1-1) in 24 of their 27 meetings when Brady was the Patriots starting quarterback.
“It’s a team win,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “We prepared hard and we got something to show for it. We scored 40 points and we are 1-0 in the division.”
New England is also now 10-4 against teams coached by Rex Ryan, who led the New York Jets before taking over in Buffalo during the offseason.
“It’s on my shoulders,” Ryan said. “Belichick out-coached me. No question about it. That’s how it ended up.”
“It’s our players,” Belichick countered. “They made the plays that won the game. They probably overcame some not-so-great coaching on our part.”
Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman caught 11 passes for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and tight end Rob Gronkowski caught seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. New England running back Dion Lewis gained 138 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown, and kicker Stephen Gostkowski made all four of his field-goal attempts.
What we learned about the Bills:
1. Rex Ryan was outclassed. He said it himself. After declaring it a “personal challenge” to face Bill Belichick and the Patriots before the game, Ryan said after the loss, “This loss is squarely on one man’s shoulders. … Belichick outcoached me.” Ryan decided not to blitz New England quarterback Tom Brady often, relying on his front four to apply pressure. Brady wound up having one of the best games of his career.
2. The yellow flags are a red flag. Even in victory the previous week, the Bills were the most-penalized team in the league. They kept it going this week, taking 14 penalties for 140 yards, and that doesn’t include one play in which there were two personal fouls called and only one could be accepted. Ryan himself received a personal foul for complaining to the officials from the sideline.
3. Bravado only goes so far. The Bills spent the week talking about their disdain for the Patriots and how eager they were for this matchup. The talk after the game was different. “It showed that we’re not the best,” linebacker Preston Brown said. “We act like we are, but we aren’t right now.”
Etc.
–S Aaron Williams was released from a local hospital Sunday night after sustaining a neck injury late in the third quarter. Williams was hurt trying to make a diving tackle on New England WR Julian Edelman’s 22-yard touchdown reception. The game was delayed for more than 10 minutes while Williams was immobilized on the turf. He was taken off the field in an ambulance.
–RB LeSean McCoy started the game after being listed as questionable to play due to a hamstring injury he aggravated during practice. McCoy was productive, rushing for 89 yards on 15 carries and gaining another 27 yards on three receptions. He had 31 yards rushing on the Bills’ opening touchdown drive.
–WR Sammy Watkins made his first reception of the season on the Bills’ opening drive. He later caught a 24-yard touchdown that brought Buffalo within five points late in the fourth quarter. Watkins finished with a team-high six receptions for 60 yards.
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