Here are the winners and losers from the New England Patriots’ 24-17 win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 16 at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.
The Patriots have clinched the AFC East, and will spend Week 17 attempting to hold off the Miami Dolphins, so that New England can retain their No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.
Winner: Tom Brady, QB
Brady led a 17-play, 81-yard drive, which spanned over 8 minutes and 58 seconds. The drive started on that 1-yard line. While the drive concluded with a field goal, it was representative of Brady’s best self in 2019. He spread the ball around, but favored Julian Edelman. The quarterback’s patience and accuracy were New England’s biggest asset. The offense was a flashback to what they did best in the early 2000s: death with a thousand incisions — which requires great precision.
That hasn’t come together in previous games — it did on Saturday night. Brady finished 26 of 33 for 271 yards and one touchdown.
Loser (until he proved a winner): Rex Burkhead, RB
His fumble on the Patriots’ opening drive felt like a significant swing in points. The Bills turned around and scored on a field goal. But New England was moving the ball well, and looked poised to score at least three points. The turnover was a momentum changer.
Then the script flipped completely on Burkhead.
He was reliable after that, with five carries for 20 yards and a touchdown with four catches for 77 yards on the game. He and the Patriots offensive line did well running screen passes, which helped him finish with the most receiving yards for New England. But Burkhead’s most impressive play of the game came on 1-yarder. Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander hammered Burkhead, who somehow stayed upright and managed to make his way into the end zone.
Winner: Julian Edelman, WR
Maybe N’Keal Harry managed to draw two defensive penalties. And maybe he rushed for 18 yards to go with his 22 yards receiving.
But Julian Edelman is the most important member of this offense not named Brady. And perhaps Edelman is growing just as essential to the offense as Brady. Harry is a nice new toy. Edelman is what makes the offense work. That became apparent on his first play back from getting evaluated for a head injury. Edelman and Brady linked up for a 30-yard play. A few plays later on the drive, they managed the go-ahead touchdown. The offense simply looked more competent and more dangerous with Edelman in the lineup.
He finished the game with five catches for 72 yards. But that stat line doesn’t show the pain he’s fighting through (with shoulder, knee and head injuries). That stat line doesn’t show the defensive attention he’s getting. That stat line doesn’t show how ugly New England’s offense looked without him.
Loser: Patrick Chung, S
The Patriots safety lost in a 1-on-1 against tight end Dawson Knox on three separate post routes. The first proved inconsequential, as Bills quarterback Josh Allen overthrew Knox, who probably would have scored a touchdown if not for the misfire. But the tandem made up for it on their following attempt of the same pattern. In the closing moments of the first half, Allen found Knox, who had beaten Chung. Allen dropped the ball perfectly into Knox’s hands, and that put them on the 1-yard line. The Bills scored a few plays later, and tied the game going into halftime.
Allen overthrew to Knox on the exact same route in the fourth quarter. Had they connected, they would have tied the game.
Winner: Stephon Gilmore, CB
Josh Allen didn’t even bother testing Gilmore.
Gilmore faced zero targets on the game — depending upon how you score John Brown’s touchdown. (It looked like a miscommunication between Gilmore and Devin McCourty.) Gilmore is making shutdown performances look casual.
Bill Belichick has paused his praise for Gilmore, who is getting hyped as the defensive player of the year. Perhaps that’s because he’s getting plenty of recognition elsewhere. Duron Harmon, Jakobi Meyers and Phillip Dorsett each told Patriots Wire this week they thought Gilmore was the best cornerback in the NFL right now.
The one knock on Gilmore in this game will be Brown’s 53-yard touchdown. Gilmore tried to pass off Brown to McCourty, who didn’t stick with Brown. It’s unclear which Patriot was at fault.
Loser: Mohamed Sanu, WR
Where does he go in these games?
He managed just three catches for 24 yards in this game, and one of those receptions seemed like a play where he lacked awareness. He cut off his route before the first-down marker, and then couldn’t quite extend his arms to make up for it. Sanu has a reputation for his intellect and savvy play. But this wasn’t that.
Since his breakout game against the Ravens (10 catches, 81 yards, 1 TD) in Week 9, Sanu has just 11 catches for 68 yards in the weeks that have followed.
