FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (WIVB) — The Bills had a lot to prove following the last two games. Instead, they pounded home several of the negative trends we’ve seen a lot this season, and this time it came in a loss to the lowly Patriots. 

Offense struggles to find rhythm — again

The Bills offense continues to have more questions than answers. They came out flat again on offense. Josh Allen threw an interception on the first offensive play and that set the tone for the first half as the Bills had just three points at halftime. The early game struggles are an alarming trend; in the last 3 games, Ken Dorsey’s crew has only scored 10 total first half points. After the game, head coach Sean McDermott said he still has confidence in the offensive coordinator. I have been a Dorsey defender but it’s more and more difficult. Nothing is coming easy for this offense and it’s his job to fix that. 

Mac attack overwhelms battered defense

The Bills defense has carried this team at several points this season but they made Mac Jones and a bad Patriots offense look more than competent. New England entered the game averaging a measly 12 points per game but they looked comfortable against the Bills. Jones went 25/30 for 272 yards and two passing touchdowns and led the Pats on a 75-yard, game-winning drive with less than two minutes to go in the game. The Bills defense is missing key pieces but they still have way more talent than the Patriots offense. They should have found a way to get stops and close the door on the game. 

Bills lose trench battles on both sides

The offensive line hasn’t been much of a talking point this season and that’s typically a good thing when it comes to the big guys up front, but Sunday was a different story. The Patriots, playing without two of their top pass rushers, were able to get pressure on Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback had people in his face throughout the game. Meanwhile, the Bills defensive line was unable to get to Mac Jones, a lot of that had to do with the Patriots quarterback getting the ball out of his hands quickly. The Bills got beat up front on offense and defense. 

Mixed bag from offensive depth players

Mixed results from the supporting cast on offense. It was good to see rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid get into the mix more. He hauled in all eight of his targets for 75 yards in what was the best game of his young career so far. James Cook made an impact in the run and pass game, finishing with 16 touches for 102 yards. Meanwhile, Gabe Davis’ biggest contribution came when he helped push Josh Allen into the endzone on a QB sneak. Davis was a non-factor in the pass game; he was targeted five times and came away with just one catch for 6 yards. Deonte Harty lack of involvement continues to be a mystery. Harty finished with one target, one catch and 10 yards receiving.