This past Sunday, the 28th of December, 2014, Week 17 was the last of the NFL 2014 regular season games. Let’s recap the game between the now 9-7 Buffalo Bills (2nd AFC East) and the now 12-4 New England Patriots (1st AFC East). Buffalo won 17-9, as the Patriots were disinterested in a meaningless matchup. The game was played at the Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, at 1 PM ET and was seem on CBS TV.
In this game, the Patriots QB Brady only played the 1st half of the game, and at least 5 of their starters did not play in the game at all, as being already qualified for the playoffs, they are looking to get those players healthy for the playoffs.
QB Brady for the Patriots in the 1st half completed 8 of 16 passes for 80 yards and was sacked once for 7 yards, in the 2nd half, backup QB Garoppolo completed 10 of 17 for 90 yards and was sacked 3 times for 19 total yards. Their RB Blount & QB Garoppolo combined for 10 carries for 78 yards, while their Receivers LaFell & Tyms combined for 8 receptions for 109 yards, as the Patriots had a day without touchdowns.
The Bills offensive leaders were QB Orton, who completed 16 of his 23 passes for 176 yards with 1 TD, while he was sacked 2 times for a total loss of 12 yards. RBs Jackson & Dixon who combined for 25 carries for 85 yards, with Dixon scoring 1 TD. Receivers Watkins & Woods combined for 7 receptions for 96 yards with Woods scoring 1 TD.
Statistically the game was as close as the final score. The Bills had 16-1st downs on 58 plays for 268 total yards, with 164 passing and 104 rushing with 1 fumble lost, and had ball possession for 29:03 minutes. The Patriots had 14-1st downs on 62 plays for 260 total yards, with 144 passing and 116 rushing with no turnovers, while possessing the ball for 30:57 minutes of the 60 minute game.
When we take a look at the score board, it’s hard to believe how the scoring took place in this game. The Bills score 1st in the game at 11:59 in the 1st quarter with a 6 yard TD pass from QB Orton to Carpenter and the EP was good for 7 Points. The Patriots managed a FG for 3 points with 3:02 left in the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter the Bills scored a TD on a 1 yard run by RB Dixon and a FG of 48 Yards by kicker Carpenter for 10 points. The Patriots kicked a 44 yard field goal for 3 points by Gostowski, thus the 1st half ended Bills 17 Patriots 6.
The only scoring that took place by either team, was a FG in the 3rd quarter with 0.37 seconds left by Gostowski for 3 points and the final score was Bills 17 Patriots 9.
So football fans that bet on NFL football at an online sportsbook, the Bills are Happy with the win, as it’s their first winning season since back in 2004, but apart from that they had nothing to play for after being eliminated the previous week from the playoffs by the Oakland Raiders for the fifteenth consecutive season.