The AFC East is going to be a really fun division to watch down the stretch, and if Weeks 13 and 16 — when the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots square off with, potentially, huge playoff implications — are anything like Week 10 was, we're in for a treat.
The two teams combined for 90 points in their offensive explosions against the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, respectively, and set a new high bar for the NFL this season.
Pro Football Focus's Week 10 grades reflect just how dominant both teams were in their attempts to put points up on the board, something they both did with ease. No other teams this year have been able to reach what the two AFC East rivals accomplished in Week 10.
With a 94.6 offensive grade, the Bills became the first team this year to reach a 94 or higher, with strong ranks across the board: a 92.2 passing grade, a 91.7 receiving grade, an 80.8 mark in the run game, and 70-plus numbers in blocking.
Josh Allen (21-of-28, 366 yards, two touchdowns) may have had gaudier counting stats in other games this year, like his five-touchdown explosion in Week 3, but his 92.8 offensive grade against New York was his highest of the year and the best of any quarterback this week (barring an incredible "Monday Night Football" performance from someone else).
The receivers were just as good as their passer, with Gabriel Davis (92.9), Stefon Diggs (92.4) and Emmanuel Sanders (89.7) all finishing in the top-five wideouts in Sunday's action.
On the ground, Zack Moss and Devin Singletary both finished in the top 12 at their position.
So, yeah, it was a pretty good day. It was such a good day, in fact, that no Bills team in the Pro Football Focus era has ever done so well offensively, with the closest grade coming in Week 13 last season against the San Francisco 49ers (90.4).
Nearly as (or maybe more?) impressive were the Patriots, who had the season's second-highest offensive grade so far with a 93.2 against the Browns — a stingy defense, we might add.
Though the pass-blocking was subpar (62.0), it didn't hinder Mac Jones' ability to have his strongest game of the season, as reflected by New England's 93.7 passing grade. The run-blocking (87.5) cleared room for an excellent Rhamondre Stevenson day and for the team as a whole (78.0), while the receiving corps did its job to help Jones out (82.0).
Jones just barely finished behind Allen with a 92.5 overall grade, while Kendrick Bourne finished in the top-five among wideouts (90.2) and made a catch that will be on every highlight reel. Stevenson's 76.1 grade was the sixth-highest among all running backs, and three lineman — Trent Brown, Michael Onwenu and Isaiah Wynn — were in the top-seven in run blocking grades.
On the season, the Patriots have the second-best total offensive grade (85.5), while the Bills are down at No. 13 (77.3), but it would surprise no one if Allen's squad played more like they did this time around rather than their abysmal Week 9 showing against the Jacksonville Jaguars, creeping into the top-10 in the process.
Defensively, Buffalo is No. 2 (78.3), while the Patriots' unit is in the middle of the pack at No. 14 (67.8). The counting stats tell a different story, however, with Bill Belichick's unit allowing the second-least points in all of football at this point in the season.
Too many numbers for you?
Here's another way of looking at it: The Bills and Patriots are both really, really good football teams, with peaking offenses as we begin the second half of the season. There may not be a more entertaining NFL rivalry to watch in the second half.
Stay tuned.
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