With their backs to the wall, the New England Patriots pulled off an incredible 29-25 upset win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 7, coming back during the final minute to upset their division rivals.
The Patriots looked like a totally different team on Sunday compared to the lackluster outfit that lost five of its first six games. The offense was efficient and took care of the football, the defense didn't break and against a potent offense, and the team didn't totally collapse at the end of the game.
New England finally showed some signs of life after three straight losses, and perhaps the team is finally turning a corner. Maybe its season isn't over just yet, after all.
With that in mind, here were the three most encouraging signs of progress from Sunday's victory.
3 Signs of Progress From Patriots' Week 7 Win
1. Mac Jones Isn't Broken After All
For the last three weeks, it was fair to wonder if New England had completely broken Mac Jones. The once-promising quarterback who made the playoffs and earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie in 2021 looked completely lost at sea, leading many fans to call for a change at quarterback.
Well, Jones silenced the doubters in Week 7. After throwing no interceptions and turning the ball over seven times in his three previous games combined, Jones once again looked like a talented signal caller. He was remarkably efficient, completing 25 of his 30 pass attempts for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns. He did not commit any turnovers and did a good job avoiding the Buffalo pass rush, taking just 1 sack for 4 yards.
And more importantly, Jones finally led his team on a game-winning drive. With the ball in his hands, the Patriots down three and less than two minutes remaining on the clock, Jones stepped up and marched his team down the field. The drive culminated with Jones' game-winning touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki in the end zone with 12 seconds left, sealing New England's victory.
Jones had failed in similar situations earlier this season and hasn't had a game-winning drive since 2021, so it was encouraging to see him finally get over the hump and finish the drive. Hopefully this game helps restore Jones' confidence, which appeared to be at an all-time low in recent weeks. It was a job-saving performance and was easily one of the best games of his career.
2. The Whole Offense Was Involved
While Jones played well, he also deserves credit for getting his teammates involved. Against a tough defense like Buffalo's, you need to spread the ball around and keep them off-balance, and that's exactly what Jones did.
He was patient and took what the defense gave him, not trying to force passes like he was during the past few weeks. He ended up completing passes to nine different Patriots receivers, including all three of his tight ends.
The fact that Jones won the game by finding Gesicki -- his TE2 who's mostly been an afterthought on offense -- sums up this win perfectly.
New England featured a similarly balanced attack on the ground. Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott split carries, with Stevenson taking 9 carries for 34 yards and Ezekiel Elliott rushing for 31 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Demario Douglas also got a carry for 20 yards, and even Jones managed to pick up 11 yards on 3 scampers.
Bill O'Brien has taken a lot of flak for the Patriots' offensive struggles so far, but deserves credit here for putting up a season-high 29 points against a brutal defense and calling a great game.
3. New England Started and Finished the Game Strong
Two of the Patriots' biggest problems this year have been coming out flat at the beginning of games and falling short at the end of them.
Surprisingly, neither was an issue in this game. New England started strong at home, winning the first quarter with a 10-0 opening frame. That early lead proved crucial as Buffalo got into the flow of the game and mounted a comeback, giving the Patriots an early cushion to work with.
When that cushion suddenly evaporated in the fourth quarter, however, New England didn't panic. Jones did his best Tom Brady impression during the two-minute drill, calmly leading his team all the way down the field and finishing the drive with a game-winning touchdown.
It was encouraging to see the Patriots buck both of their season-long trends in the same game, especially when it had every reason to lose this game against a better team. If New England can keep doing this going forward, it's going to have a much easier time winning football games.
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