BILLS 16, PATRIOTS 0
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady won't return to an undefeated team after all.
But following the Buffalo Bills' surprise 16-0 shutout victory at New England Sunday, he will come back to an AFC East that is suddenly tighter a month into the season.
Buffalo's victory was a continuation of an offensive turnaround that seemed improbable after a 0-2 start.
The change in direction began with the firing of offensive coordinator Greg Roman and promotion of assistant Anthony Lynn. It is now in full bloom after back-to-back victories over Arizona and New England.
"For sure, we're confident in coach Lynn," running back LeSean McCoy said. "Each game, each time he has a shot he has to call a play, different situations, he's answering every time. ... We loved him already before he was an offensive coordinator, and now we're just falling in love with the calls that he's making."
And for a team that seemed to be going nowhere two weeks ago, getting just its second victory in 16 visits to Foxborough is a very big deal.
A big part of the reason is quarterback Tyrod Taylor. In his second year as a starter, he has found confidence with his throwing.
He had trouble reading coverages and throwing the deep ball earlier in the season, but didn't exhibit those issues in picking apart a veteran New England defense that is having trouble defending the pass this season.
Buffalo's defense also took a big step by handing the Patriots their first shutout loss at Gillette Stadium.
Even with Brady serving the final game of his four-game "Deflategate" ban, cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman said it's something to build on.
So was the camaraderie his teammates showed about an hour before the game, when Bills safety Robert Blanton and others were involved in a shoving match with Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett and receiver Malcolm Mitchell.
Robey-Coleman said he and other Buffalo players felt disrespected when the Patriots players twice ran through their pregame warmups.
Several punches were thrown when a shoving match erupted near the sideline. The altercation appeared to begin when Brissett was jogging along the field and was shoved by Bills safety Robert Blanton.
Brissett didn't stop, and Mitchell retaliated by shoving Blanton. Blanton responded by punching Mitchell in the chest and head-butting him, which led to several other players and assistant coaches getting involved before it was broken up.
"When he did that, it kind of put a fire up underneath us," Robey-Coleman said. "We came out there with some fire. And it was like, 'Nah, we ain't going to let nobody disrespect us no matter where we're at.'"
Sports on 10/03/2016