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The fifth week of NFL regular season action is in the books, which means that it is now also time for a new edition of the AFC East Report and for a look back at what happened in the New England Patriots’ division over the weekend — from the Buffalo Bills celebrating a big road win, to the Miami Dolphins getting blown out by the GOAT, to the New York Jets losing another game, this time abroad.
Let’s dive straight in.
1. Buffalo Bills (4-1)
Week 5: 38-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, in Kansas City MO
The Bills already entered the rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game as one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL. On Sunday Night, they definitively staked their claim as arguably the most complete team in the entire league. Buffalo dominated the Chiefs in Kansas City, winning by 18 points in a game that saw the visitors make big plays in all three phases of the game.
Sean McDermott’s team started the game on defense and immediately gave up four third down conversions on a 17-play drive. In the red zone, however, the unit settled down and forced the Chiefs to kick a field goal. Kansas City’s lead was short-lived as Buffalo’s high-powered offense quickly marched down the field; a 9-yard scoring run by Josh Allen capped the series and put the Bills ahead — at least until early in the second quarter.
At that point, the Chiefs fought back and scored their first touchdown of the day. However, just 2:15 later the tables had turned again: Allen and company needed only five plays to cover 75 yards and take the lead on a 35-yard pass play to Emmanuel Sanders. Following a defensive three-and-out, kicker Tyler Bass added to the lead.
Buffalo’s defense came up big on the next drive again, stopping the Chiefs on a 4th-and-5 inside the two-minute warning. The stop set up a two-play drive that saw the Bills gain 68 yards: after a short pass for 15, Allen hit Dawson Knox on a 53-yard touchdown. Kansas City did manage to score a field goal before the half, but the visitors entered the locker room up 24-13.
After a one-hour delay due to bad weather and three straight punts, Buffalo struck again. Micah Hyde intercepted a Patrick Mahomes throw that went through Tyreek Hill’s hands and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. It was the first pick thrown by Mahomes, but it would not be his last: on the very next drive, Gregory Rousseau intercepted the Chiefs’ QB to thwart a promising Kansas City drive deep in the red zone.
Buffalo failed to capitalize on the turnover, however, which in turn gave the Chiefs a chance to cut into their deficit: they scored a touchdown to make it a 31-20 game. However, the Bills answered with a 12-play drive that took almost eight minutes off the clock. When Josh Allen hit Emmanuel Sanders on an 8-yard touchdown pass, the game was therefore effectively over. Mahomes later lost a fumble to make it final: Buffalo went to 4-1, with the Chiefs falling to 2-3.
To watch highlights of the game, click here.
2. New England Patriots (2-3)
Week 5: 25-22 win over the Houston Texans, in Houston TX
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To watch highlights of the game, click here.
3. Miami Dolphins (1-4)
Week 5: 45-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in Tampa FL
With starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa still on injured reserve because of a rib injury, the Dolphins once again turned to backup Jacoby Brissett. The former Patriot did play a mostly solid game on the road against the reigning world champions, but he was unable to prevent Miami from getting blown out — in large part because Miami’s defense had no answer for the greatest QB of all time, Tom Brady.
Miami started the game with a promising eight-play sequence that saw the team march deep into Tampa Bay territory. However, the drive stalled at the 5-yard line and the team had to settle for a 23-yard Jason Sanders field goal. While Brady and company answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive, the Dolphins fought back in style.
Brissett led his troops on another eight-play drive to re-take the lead: he connected with Myles Gaskin on a 24-yard scoring pass to put his team up 10-7. After the Buccaneers tied the game on the next drive, however, the Dolphins were unable to go anywhere. Three plays after that three-and-out, Brady found fellow ex-Patriot Antonio Brown for a 62-yard touchdown. At that point, the floodgates began to open.
Miami was forced to punt on the next series, with the Buccaneers scoring another touchdown on their subsequent possession — a 13-play series that took more than six minutes off the clock. While the Dolphins still had some time to cut into their 14-point deficit before the half, a Brissett sack-fumble erased any hopes of them doing that.
Coming out of the locker room down 24-10, the Miami defense manufactured a stop before a long drive gave the team its second touchdown of the day: Brissett found Gaskin for a second time to cap an 11-play, 87-yard series.
Momentum did not stay with the visitors, however. Instead, the team’s defense surrendered another long drive that ended with a Buccaneers touchdown. Down 31-17, the offense went three-and-out again, followed by a four-play touchdown drive from Brady and company. They added another seven points following a Brissett interception to finalize the score at 45-17.
To watch highlights of the game, click here.
4. New York Jets (1-4)
Week 5: 27-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, in London UK
The first of Sunday’s slate of games featured the Jets taking on the Falcons at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Despite both teams having struggled mightily so far this season, the contest was a relatively entertaining affair — at least from Atlanta’s perspective. The Jets again struggled, falling to 1-4 five games into the Zach Wilson era.
New York opened the contest on defense and immediately surrendered a 14-play drive that ended with a 31-yard field goal. The team’s offense answered by going three-and-out, setting up another Falcons scoring opportunity. They took advantage, marching 92 yards in 10 plays to extend their lead to 10 points.
Things did not get any better for the Jets, who went three-and-out again to close out the first quarter. Atlanta, on the other hand, had no problem moving the ball against New York’s defense; the team’s next drive cover 77 yards and again ended with a touchdown. To make matters worse, Wilson threw an interception just two plays later.
This time, however, the Jets finally made their first big play of the day. C.J. Mosley forced a fumble that was recovered by fellow Jet Michael Carter II. The turnover gave New York some new life, and the team was able to capitalize by marching 74 yards in 16 plays. While it had to settle for a 31-yard Matt Ammendola field goal, it was a first step in the right direction.
Atlanta did manage to add three more points to its lead before the half thanks to a 52-year field goal by one-time Patriot Younghoe Koo, but momentum was shifting New York’s way. On the opening drive of the third period, the team scored its first touchdown of the day — a 1-yard run by Ty Johnson. The two teams then went on to exchange punts for the rest of the quarter, as well as a Shaq Lawson fumble recovery to stop a potential Falcons scoring drive.
The fourth quarter, meanwhile, opened with the Jets driving 90 yards in only four plays to come within three on a Michael Carter 2-yard rushing touchdown. In dire need of a stop, however, the defense surrendered a conversion on 3rd-and-13 on the ensuing Falcons drive. The series ultimately ended with a Falcons touchdown to ice the game just outside the two-minute warning.
Ammendola added another field goal — this one from 49 yards out — to bring his team’s deficit down to seven points again, but it was too little too late.
To watch highlights of the game, click here.
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