Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs Dominant as Funds Blow out Cam Newton, Patriots
Charles Krupa/Associated Press
The Buffalo Funds respect hit their trail pleasing in time for the playoffs.
Buffalo defeated the Recent England Patriots 38-9 in Monday’s AFC East showdown at Gillette Stadium and improved to 12-3 on the season with its fifth straight salvage cease. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs led the kind for the victors, who already clinched the division crown and are combating the 12-3 Pittsburgh Steelers for the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
Recent England is just playing out the string and fell to 6-9 with a third straight loss.
Valuable Player Stats
- Josh Allen, QB, BUF: 27-of-36 passing for 320 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs; 4 carries for 35 yards
- Stefon Diggs, WR, BUF: 9 catches for 145 yards, 3 TDs
- Zack Moss, RB, BUF: 12 carries for 57 yards, 1 TD
- Cam Newton, QB, NE: 5-of-10 passing for 34 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs; 4 carries for 24 yards, 1 TD
Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs Attach on Indicate in Bewitch
Whether or no longer Allen would secure more consistency coming off a playoff look changed into the supreme request in Buffalo heading into the season, and he has answered that in emphatic kind.
He entered play with 4,000 passing yards on the twelve months and a blended 10 touchdowns in the final three video games as any individual who can hurt defenses along with his legs, solid arm and enlighten to on deep balls. That he figured to be basically the most efficient player on the self-discipline in a matchup with the Patriots underscored the vitality shift for the length of the division.
He changed into criminal that for the length of Monday’s sport.
Allen unfold the ball spherical to 10 moderately heaps of plug-catchers in the basic half of by myself, consistently escaped the pocket along with his legs, fit throws into tight windows and converted a few fourth downs. Zack Moss scored Buffalo’s first touchdown sooner than Allen learned Lee Smith and Diggs for touchdowns to originate up a commanding 24-9 lead by intermission.
The Diggs touchdown went for 50 yards with Allen throwing a strike after a pump unsuitable and the receiver doing the comfort along with his velocity in the originate self-discipline.
The pair broke the game huge originate for the length of the basic possession of the second half of, capping off an eight-play, 75-yard power with one more touchdown. As if that weren’t adequate, Allen added an exclamation point in the fourth quarter by scrambling to invent impart and discovering Diggs for one more touchdown.
It changed into no longer that annoying to envision the Funds mighty the Steelers or even the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC playoffs whereas searching at Allen and Diggs torch Recent England’s secondary. The quality of competition will likely be higher when the stakes are raised, however there is terribly minute Allen can’t attain on the self-discipline at this point.
Cam Newton Benched in One other Abysmal Performance
The days of Tall Bowl or bust doubtlessly went out the window for the Patriots when Tom Brady left, however they restful had an quite loads of to compete for the playoffs this season if Cam Newton resembled something cease to the 2015 MVP model of himself.
He has no longer attain cease.
The Auburn product has 5 touchdown passes to 10 interceptions and has no longer thrown a few rankings in a sport all twelve months. He has consistently struggled throwing the ball downfield, and Monday changed into no moderately heaps of.
While the efficiency changed into no longer all his fault with Recent England’s offensive front allowing fixed stress, he managed criminal 34 passing yards into the third quarter sooner than head coach Bill Belichick determined to bench him in desire of Jarrett Stidham.
Newton equipped one gleaming location when he frail his athleticism to flee what regarded enjoy a definite sack and creep for a touchdown, however the juxtaposition between his struggles and Allen slinging the ball everywhere in the self-discipline changed into jarring.
It assign the Patriots ready where they determined to teach Stidham as a change of counting on the starter for any comeback strive, and they could thoroughly attain the identical in Week 17.
Newton is under contract through criminal this season, and he didn’t attain mighty to additional convince Recent England to raise him reduction in 2021.
What’s Next?
Each groups are dwelling in Week 17 when the Funds face the Miami Dolphins and the Patriots host the Recent York Jets.