The snow is snowing and the wind is blowing in Buffalo, so it’s unlikely that either Mac Jones or Josh Allen will have a lot to do with the result of Monday night’s crucial Patriots-Bills matchup. That’s not a big deal for the Patriots, who have as diverse and effective a run game as you’ll see in the NFL. Their receivers know how to (and are willing to) block, and even when the Bills put nine or ten guys in the box, the Pats are going to be confident that they can blow through the defense and make big gains.
That proved true with 5:18 left in the first quarter, when Jones handed the ball to running back Damien Harris, and Harris rumbled 64 yards for the game’s opening touchdown.
Damien Harris is GONE. 64-yard touchdown! #ForeverNE
📺: #NEvsBUF on ESPN
📱: https://t.co/wsVL8IokGf pic.twitter.com/IzeJz7ucf2— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2021
This looked like a counter crack toss in which Jones spun to hand off to Harris, with receiver N’Keal Harry crashing down on end A.J. Epenesa, left guard Ted Karras moving up to eliminate linebacker Terrell Edmunds, and fullback Jakob Johnson absolutely crushing linebacker Tyrel Dodson to help create the lane. Harris did it all from there. The Bills were moving to the slide, and nobody was there at the second and third levels to deal with Harris’ speed and power.
New England’s run game was going to be a serious issue for the Bills, and that’s already proven to be true.
Why the Patriots’ rushing attack will be the Bills’ biggest challenge
