Plays that defined 2019: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills, Week 4

The 2019 season is behind us, but the stories live on. Every week brought a different narrative and we look back on the season to tell those stories through the plays that defined the game. Sit back and get ready for the tale of Week 4:

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

The undefeated Patriots were traveling to Orchard Park to take on the undefeated Buffalo Bills. Optimism was high in Western New York that the upstart Buffalo team would knock off the juggernaut. The defense did its part, limiting the Patriots’ offense to nine points.

Unfortunately, the Patriots’ defense did its part as well. Four Buffalo turnovers and an inability to move the ball led to the Bills’ first loss of the season. An illegal hit took Josh Allen out of the game late, giving “Captain Clutch” one less chance at a fourth-quarter comeback. Matt Barkley got close, but couldn’t seal the deal.

Josh Allen interception (Q1, 10:46)

The first of three interceptions from Josh Allen sets the tone for a rough day on offense. Allen would fall under 50% completion rate and would only amass 153 yards in the approximately three quarters he played. The Patriots’ defense gave the sophomore quarterback plenty of trouble.

Blocked punt (Q1, 6:30)

In a game decided by six points, it’s a tough pill to swallow to hand over seven. A low snap and one neglected Patriot led to a quick touchdown that Buffalo couldn’t afford to give up.

Tom Brady incomplete pass (Q2, 1:51)

Tom Brady’s passer rating was higher than Allen’s in large part thanks to a lack of interceptions. And if you look at the sack total (zero) you’d assume that Brady wasn’t pressured at all. The eye test has a different story to tell. Brady was rattled early and by the end of the second quarter was looking to ditch the ball quickly. Brady was also sub-50% completion rate and amassed 150 yards with one more quarter of play than Allen.

Edmunds and Milano tackle for loss (Q3, 9:59)

During the 2018 season, the Patriots showed a dual-headed beast, attacking effectively on the ground as well. Buffalo was prepared for it, allowing 3.2 yards per carry. This, combined with their efficacy in the passing game held the New England offense to only nine points and 224 yards. That’s TOTAL yards and was easily the worst output of the season for the Patriots.

Matt Barkley interception (Q4, 1:34)

Despite all of the problems on offense and an illegal hit taking Josh Allen out of the game, Buffalo was still in position to win. While there were still 94 seconds left to play and two shots to get a first down, one effective pass rusher was all it took to seal the game. In a low-scoring defensive fight, it’s no surprise that the game ended on this note.