When the Buffalo Bills defense held the New England Patriots to zero points on Sunday, it was a historic defensive performance. Here are some stats and notes about the play of Rex Ryan’s unit.
First Bills road shutout since 1990
The last time the Bills shut out an opponent on the road, they were heading to a Super Bowl a generation ago. They beat the Cleveland Browns 42-0 that day, who fired their coach at the end of the year and hired Bill Belichick.
First Patriots home shutout since 1993
It hasn’t been quite as long as the Bills streak, but the Patriots haven’t been shut out at home in more than 20 years. That was Drew Bledsoe’s rookie year. Bill Belichick was still the head coach of the Browns. The current home of the team, Gillette Stadium, wasn’t built until 2000.
First Patriots shutout since 2006
It’s been a couple months shy of a decade since the Patriots didn’t score any points.
It’s the 23rd shutout in Bills history
Buffalo’s goose egg is the first since the team shutout the Dolphins in Christmas 2013.
The Patriots only threatened to score three times
The first drive of the game saw New England get to the one-yard line but a penalty on the play brought it back 90 yards. After another big play in the first half, the defense forced a Jacoby Brissett fumble while the Patriots were in field goal range. In the fourth quarter down two scores, New England went for it on fourth down at Buffalo’s 21 and did not convert. The only other threat was averted by a missed field goal.