Buffalo's Disappointing Performance Gives Patriots Route to Top Spot - Highlights of Week 10 NFL Action

The tenth week once more provided excitement, with a huge upset for the Buffalo Bills demonstrating the 'any given Sunday' saying that draws so many people into the National Football League

That result could have created things up for the New England Patriots to move back into a leading position they used to occupy, with a remaining games that provides them an advantage over their 8-2 competitors

Over in the National Football Conference the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams had ideal outcomes to set up a major confrontation in week 11, while our top performer is pursuing milestones as well as the Most Valuable Player award

The Breakdown - Simply an Off Day for Buffalo?

Was it just an emotional comedown from beating the Chiefs last week or something more? That's the question for the Buffalo team to answer

The Buffalo squad had won seven in a row against the Dolphins but were second best from the start as the Miami team ran out 30-13 victors in an surprising result - and performance

MVP quarterback Josh Allen only achieved the team's initial first down in the third period and first points in the final quarter - admittedly Miami had 10 days to prepare but it was still a massive egg produced by one of the NFL's top offences

Tua Tagovailoa passed for two scores but running back De'Von Achane was the game-changing factor, with 225 combined yards and two touchdowns

Bottling up the league's best running game was also key, with James Cook and teammates recording just eighty-six yards, their lowest of the season and just over half their 161.5 yard season average

Additionally there were the three crucial turnovers, and the pair from Allen specifically. An pass caught by defense in the end zone meaning a nine-minute drive produced nothing, and his fourth-quarter fumble that Miami turned into a touchdown just two plays

It was typical 'previous Bills teams' as they hurt themselves in the foot, getting into a deficit on defense and Allen trying to overcompensate to dig his team out of it - not the composed, disciplined, balanced Buffalo team we've seen this season

Miami have demonstrated a varied performances this season so the verdict is uncertain on if this is the beginning of something, but for Buffalo they'll require an immediate bounce-back in a tough game against Tampa Bay next week as the New England are quietly moving into a nice lead at the top of the AFC East

In Focus - Patriots See Path to Unexpected First Place

Regarding the Patriots, they're one of three eight and two squads in the league, all AFC sides, but are they the best?

One could find flaws in New England, Denver and the Colts actually for dominating the weaker opponents, with just five of their total twenty-four victories achieved against teams with a positive record - and one example was the Indianapolis beating the Denver

The Broncos beat the champion Eagles in Philadelphia and are masters of the fourth-quarter while Indy can rely on Taylor, but the Patriots including Sunday's victory in Tampa Bay to their primtime success in Buffalo appears to be a declaration

Their pair of losses came in new head coach Mike Vrabel's initial three contests, with seven consecutive victories, just like the Broncos, since then - but taking down Mayfield after the Buccaneers had a bye to prepare was significant

Drake Maye's Most Valuable Player credentials won't go away, and he certainly deserves point for bravery after taking some savage hits in Tampa but persevering to guide his side to victory

The defensive unit is reliable and rookie running back Henderson burst onto the scene on Sunday with 147 rushing yards and two exhilerating scores of fifty-five and sixty-nine yards - establishing himself as just the fifth different ball carrier to break 22mph this year on his initial touchdown

Although you can argue who 'the best' is statistically, the Patriots should be favourites to finish with the top record due to their schedule - which features just a single matchup against a winning team, albeit a huge one against the Bills

Visiting the Ravens is challenging too, but Denver have it even tougher in the AFC West with the Kansas City to face two times, the Los Angeles Chargers (who could also challenge for first place but face the identical challenge) and additionally the Green Bay on the schedule

The Indianapolis also face the Chiefs, and have the Seahawks, San Francisco and two matchups with the five and four Jaguars to face. There's a long way to go but the door is available for a surprise number one position in the AFC

Next Week - Los Angeles and Seattle Set for Week 11 Clash

Two teams with solid claims to be superior to all of the three different eight and two sides are NFC West opponents the Seahawks and Rams, who both put up forty points to reach seven and two before the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster game between the two in LA

They've both won four in a row, have signal callers in Stafford and Sam Darnold playing at an elite level (although Sam Darnold had turnover issues on game day) with excellent pass catchers, and defensive units giving up under 20 points a contest

Each could realistically be undefeated as too - especially the Rams as their pair of losses occurred in overtime against the San Francisco and then that agonising loss in Philadelphia when they had a game-winning field goal with the last kick deflected and returned by the Philadelphia for a score

Seattle were also defeated to the 49ers, with a late touchdown in week one, before falling to the last kick of the game against the Buccaneers - so they are truly among the best sides in the league

The upcoming game on Sunday could be the best of the year to date

Player of the Week - Jonathan Taylor

Taylor could be on for a historic year after his remarkable performance in Berlin - running for 244 rushing yards, registering three touchdowns and contributing an additional forty-two {receiving yards