New England lost their first game since Week 3 on Sunday.
It had been 84 days since the New England Patriots last lost a football game. They hoped to extend that streak another week on Sunday — and clinch an AFC East title in the process.
The Buffalo Bills, however, had other plans, scoring touchdowns on five straight possessions to come from behind and leave a snowy Foxboro with a 35–31 victory.
As the Patriots celebratory hat and t-shirts will now have to wait, their first loss in 12 weeks could ultimately serve as a positive for the group as they head into the final stretch of the season.
“It’s been awhile since we lost, but I wouldn’t say we forgot [how to lose],” wide receiver Stefon Diggs said. “It is definitely something – you never know, we probably needed it. Going on a little streak, not going to say it’s a lot of pressure, but you expect to win, as you should, each and every week.
“But you play good teams every week. It’s a new week every week, and you’re trying to go 1-0. You just can’t ever draw it or see how it is going to be. So, it’s good for us. I kind of said it in the beginning of the year: lessons. If you don’t learn anything from it, then obviously a loss, but it’s a lesson for sure that you’re going to have to keep that foot on the gas.”
Diggs was not the only one in New England’s locker room to echo that sentiment.
“This definitely can be a kind of kick in the butt,” Hunter Henry said. “We’ve had things go our way and everything go our way the last 10 weeks, so this is definitely a reality check. That’s a good football team. We went toe to toe with them in every aspect, but we have to give them credit. We’ve got to get a lot better from this fast.”
Over an 11 game winning streak, the Patriots had the luxury of learning through victories. That won’t be the case now as they turn the page to a Week 16 primetime matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
But as the message from Mike Vrabel remains centered on learning from each situation — particularly after a second-half collapse — Diggs is already eyeing one clear area for improvement.
“60 minutes. You can’t have a lull on the mental side of it and the physical side of it,” he said. “When you’re playing a team like that, they play from behind. They’re used to playing from behind, fighting back and clawing. They’ve been together for some years now, and they’ve led this division for a while. So, in order to get over that hump, play 60-minute football and execute at a higher level.”
Category: General Sports
