New England Patriots Offense Struggles in Buffalo Bills Rout

The Buffalo Bills cruised to an easy 24-10 win over the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football, and they may have created some discord in their division rival while doing it. The Patriots offense struggled yet again while dropping to 6-6, casting doubt over their playoff chances this year and even their potential for future seasons.

FINAL: The @BuffaloBills take home their 3rd TNF W of the season! #BUFvsNE pic.twitter.com/CA9bYOrG3i
— NFL (@NFL) December 2, 2022

It wasn't all bad for the Patriots. They even briefly held a 7-3 lead in the first quarter after quarterback Mac Jones hit defensive back Marcus Jones for a 48-yard screen pass that went for a touchdown. But that would be just about all the listless offense would have to offer; they wouldn't score again until they added a meaningless field goal after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. Jones ended his day netting a mere 182 yards on 37 dropbacks, and the run game only contributed 14 carries for 60 yards. The Patriots players couldn't hide their frustrations.

As for the Bills, they can pride themselves on their continued dominance over their AFC East rival. They've now won five of their six games in regular season and postseason play since quarterback Tom Brady left the franchise. The Patriots were a ridiculous 32-3 against the Bills under Brady, but things appear to have taken a turn. Bills quarterback Josh Allen controlled the game with 223 net passing yards and 20 yards rushing, and rookie running back James Cook helped out with the most promising game of his young career, rushing 14 times for 64 yards and nabbing all six of his targets for 41 yards.

Looking ahead to Week 14, the Patriots will attempt to keep their playoff hopes alive when they visit the 4-8 Arizona Cardinals, and the Buffalo Bills will endeavor to strengthen their standing in the AFC East when they host the New York Jets.