Week 11: Pats Rout Bills 56-10
Nothing good came out of most lopsided loss in team history.
by Steve Saslow
at
Week 11
Patriots  56
Bills  10
Gameday Grades

Dick Jauron summed it up best saying that this was not a nice way to spend an evening. Everyone knew a win over the Patriots would be very tough but it was thought the Bills could keep it close thanks to the primetime matchup and the 12th man. Then when it was known that Marshawn Lynch wouldn't play we knew it would be tougher. No matter how well the rookie could have played this still would have been a rout. The Bills suffered the most lopsided loss in team history as the Patriots routed the Bills 56-10.

How bad was it? The 56 points is tied for the 2nd most allowed by the Bills in team history and the most by any NFL team at home in 34 years. Tom Brady threw for nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns to Randy Moss in the first half alone! That is the most amount of touchdown receptions by a player in a game in Bills history. The Patriots went for it twice on fourth down in the third quarter to turn two potential field goals into two more touchdowns. Brady was in the game for seven drives, before being lifted in the fourth quarter, and they scored seven touchdowns. There only punt came from the Bills 36 yard line with Brady out of the game. They also finished the scoring with a defensive touchdown.

The Bills lone highlights were a 47 yard touchdown pass from J.P. Losman to Roscoe Parrish to cut an early Patriots lead to 14-7. Rian Lindell added a 52 yard field goal in the third quarter. That was one of the problems, while the Patriots were going for it on 4th down with a big lead and getting touchdowns, the Bills were kicking a field goal instead of going for a touchdown.

The game got off to a bad start just minutes after an inspiring message from Kevin Everett was played on the jumbotron. Losman threw an interception and a late hit penalty setup the Patriots in the red zone setting up the easiest of their seven offensive touchdowns. A three and out and a six play, 63 yard touchdown drive made it 14-0 midway through the first quarter. The Parrish touchdown gave fans something to cheer about but the rout would be on as Moss would catch touchdown passes of 16, 6, and 17 yards in the 2nd quarter and it was time to go to bed for people like me who get up real early for work.

Brady's final two touchdowns were exclamation points on the rout along with Ellis Hobbs 35 yard return of a Dwayne Wright fumble and a touchdown run by little used Kyle Eckel. The biggest rout in Bills history is over, now what? Do the Bills fall apart or do they show their resiliency and regroup for an important game in Jacksonville with the Bills still in the wildcard hunt. They need to play a hell of a lot better in their final six games to even sniff a playoff spot.

Here are our exclusive gameballs and goats from the Bills game against the Patriots:

Gameballs
  • Rian Lindell - Really nobody deserves a gameball in this loss but I'll give one to Lindell for his 52 yard field goal.
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    Goats
  • Entire Team (except Lindell) - It's hard to pick out certain people in a total rout but we'll try:
  • Jabari Greer - Awful in coverage.
  • George Wilson - Looked like a fish out of water for the first time at the safety position.
  • Donte Whitner - He talked a good game but didn't back it up with his play as he was beaten for two touchdowns.
  • Terrence McGee - He was also "Mossed" in this game beaten for numerous plays and a touchdown.
  • Dwayne Wright - Finally got in the game in the 2nd half and had a fumble returned for a touchdown.
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    Player Of The Week
  • Rian Lindell - He now has a personal record 12 straight field goals.


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