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The New England Patriots defense faced a tough test against the undefeated Buffalo Bills and resoundingly passed.
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Patriots Defense Stood Up to the Tall Task
All week, the talk was about Josh Allen, and rightfully so. The 2024 MVP was off to another MVP-level start to the season.
However, against Coach Vrabel‘s heavy zone defense on Sunday, Allen was largely held in check thanks to the unit’s discipline on the edges. Gabe Jacas and Elijah Ponder were able to collapse the pocket, which helped eliminate his signature quarterback scrambles.
A non-factor with his legs, Allen was limited to just five running attempts for four yards and a touchdown.
With two safeties taking away deep throws down the field, Allen was forced to take underneath throws and sustain long drives to put up points. As a result, Allen had his lowest QBR of the season, 50.3, along with a rookie-mistake interception to Patriots safety Craig Woodson on the Bills’ last drive of the game.
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Too Little, Too Late for James Cook
On the ground, the Bills superstar was largely held in check. New England’s front seven was disciplined on early downs and forced Cook to run between the tackles.
While he eventually finished with 75 yards and a touchdown, the bulk of his production came in the fourth quarter when Buffalo started to use its three-tight-end sets.
For New England’s defense, the game plan was simple: set the edge to prevent outside runs and take away deep throws. And while Josh Allen and James Cook had their highlight plays, Mike Vrabel’s unit stepped up when it mattered most.
Mike Vrabel’s defense answered the bell when the game hung in the balance and proved that its zone scheme can go toe-to-toe with the AFC’s best.
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This story was originally published October 4, 2026 at 3:57 PM.