The New England Patriots will end Week 5 second in the AFC East regardless of Sunday night’s outcome, but they have a golden opportunity to gain a game on the whole division.
The Patriots and Buffalo Bills watched their two AFC East cohorts falter before their “Sunday Night Football” matchup. The New York Jets remain winless following a 37-22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and the Miami Dolphins dropped to 1-4 with a 27-24 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
It was an ugly Sunday afternoon for New England’s division adversaries. The Jets surrendered a whopping 7.1 yards per play to Dallas, allowing 20 unanswered points in the second quarter.
Dak Prescott tossed four touchdowns with star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb sidelined, and Javonte Williams amassed a career-high 135 rushing yards. New York got called for 10 flags after committing 13 penalties in a Week 4 loss to Miami.
The Athletic’s Zach Rosenblatt noted that Aaron Glenn became the first Jets head coach to ever start his first season with an 0-5 record. They’re in grave danger of missing their 15th straight postseason.
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Meanwhile, the Dolphins squandered an early 17-0 lead in a heartbreaking loss at Carolina. Tua Tagovailoa registered 256 passing yards and three touchdowns without Tyreek Hill, but the ground game couldn’t secure a victory with 19 rushing yards on 14 carries.
On the other hand, Rico Dowdle demolished the Dolphins’ defense for 206 rushing yards. Miami gifted Carolina six first downs on penalties, including a defensive pass interference on third down that allowed the Panthers to run out the clock instead of punting.
Meanwhile, the Bills are the NFL’s only remaining undefeated team after the Denver Broncos rallied to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots could narrow the gap to one game and create a two-team division battle by beating Buffalo on Sunday night.
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