ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- A few thoughts on the Buffalo Bills' 37-22 loss Sunday to the New England Patriots at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
What it means: The Bills (3-3) have tightened the gap in the AFC East, but it hasn't been closed completely. In a battle to decide the early division lead, Buffalo kept it close but made too many mistakes to come out with a win. The Bills have now lost 26 of their last 29 games to their divisional rivals. This one wasn't too complicated: The offense turned the ball over too much and the defense couldn't slow down Tom Brady and the Patriots' passing game, especially late in the game. The Patriots (4-2) scored on each of their four second-half possessions, including three touchdowns. The Bills are now 3-3 overall.
Stock watch: S Duke Williams, down. This falls more under the "team loss" category than most, so it's hard to pick on a single player, but the second-year safety had a tough day. In the second quarter, he was flagged for a 29-yard defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone, setting up a Patriots touchdown on the next play. It was an easy call. He was penalized again for pass interference in the third quarter, although that call was questionable.
Watkins watch: Rookie receiver Sammy Watkins expected Darrelle Revis to shadow him for most of the game, and he was right. Revis kept Watkins quiet for much of the contest. Kyle Orton targeted Watkins three times; the rookie had two catches for 27 yards.
Game ball: TE Scott Chandler. After a quiet start to the season, Chandler caught six passes for 105 yards, including an impressive one-handed grab. Like running back Fred Jackson through the first five games, Chandler kept the offense moving when its other elements weren't clicking. It's the first time since Pete Metzelaars in 1992 that a Bills tight end had more than 100 receiving yards in a game.
What’s next: The Bills, who had the NFL's easiest remaining schedule entering this weekend, next host the Minnesota Vikings (2-4), who lost Sunday at the Detroit Lions.
