I said earlier this week that I wasn't going to take anything out of this game regardless of the outcome (because I didn't really expect the Bills to win), but this loss perfectly shows what I hoped the Patriots would realize. The value of a good 3rd WR. They have been consistently all of last year and this year choosing STs ability (Elderman) over WR ability (Price) and guess what IT CAME BACK TO BITE THEM. They tried STs guys on offense and hope they produce (Elderman) and when they needed a play by another receiver not named Gronk or Welker it back fired on them. Maybe this loss will finally give Taylor Price the game-day nod. They have always used the reasoning

We know player X (Taylor Price) is significantly better at his natural position than player Y (Brandon Tate, Julian Elderman, Matthew Slater) but he can't play STs so we can't choose Player X over player Y even once because they make a significant impact on STs (they're not Devin Hester but they are good ST players) which is more than you can say for player X.

The pats really could have given those snaps on Offense to TP instead of Julian and when Branch was neutralized we no longer had another legit option outside the TEs and Welker. Hopefully this loss will finally make the Patriots get Price involved and start to develop him.

PS: This is not an indictment on Slater or Elderman, they are good STs players and do contribute to the team, and I for one appreciate their contributions, but can they be relied on on offense when the coverage gets tight, Branch isn't getting open and Welker and the TEs are doubled? From what they've shown the answer is no. Thats exactly why it frustrates me to see Price inactive week after week after week. All that time that could be used to develop a rapport with a kid that has huge WR potential is instead going to forcing STs players on the offense. Again I'm not saying STs tackles and 15-24 yard punt returns don't matter, but in the end they are not more valuable than another reliable contributor on offense. Ask yourself this would 75 yards in field position matter if Ochocinco created separation on that Brady pick or caught that deep pass that would have saved us literally three and half minutes on the drive? Think about it instead of the Bills going up by 3 with no time left we would have had nearly four minutes to the tie the game.