Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has challenged his kick coverage unit to be a top-five group this season. Through 13 games, they largely answered the bell.
But as a Bills team that ranked seventh in kickoff return — averaging 31.5 yards per kickoff return over the last three weeks, largely due to returner Ray Davis — came to Foxboro on Sunday, New England came out on the wrong side of the kicking game battle.
As the Patriots jumped out to a 21-0 first-half lead, it was Davis who ultimately helped start
Buffalo’s comeback. After taking his first two kick returns back 45 and 23 yards, Davis’ third attempt saw him take it 38 yards before drawing a facemark penalty for a net return of 53 yards.
With a drive starting in Patriots territory, Buffalo found the end zone for the first time shortly after which led to them trailing 24-7 entering half time.
“There was a new scheme on the first one, and then after that I thought we did a nice job against the double team over there on the sideline after the first one. I thought Anfernee [Jennings] adjusted really well to that, made it cut back and we tackled it,” Vrabel said.
“You have to do enough to cause restriction at the point of attack so that they see that, and it gives them a reason to consider throwing a flag. So, we have to understand that, we have to be able to shed and we have to be able to create restriction at the point of attack. We didn’t do that, and so they blocked us, and we were content with that too many times.”
Getting the ball out of the half, the struggles continued as Davis broke a 58-yard return behind lead blocker Alec Anderson.
Starting on the New England side of the field yet again, the Bills offense scored again just six plays later — the first two of five consecutive touchdown drives that resulted in Buffalo leaving Gillette Stadium with a 35-31 win.
“I think the one thing that we’ve done in victory has been to play very complementary, and I would say that to give the third-ranked offense the field position that they did is tough. It is tough,” Vrabel said.
In total, Davis’ four returns totaled 164 yards (41.0 yards per return) as Buffalo’s scheme and use of Anderson, an offensive guard who previously played one snap on kick return this season, got the best of New England’s coverage unit.
“That’s a copycat from earlier in the season. They hadn’t shown that, but we have to be prepared for things that show up on tape and being able to adjust,” Vrabel explained. “Again, that’s been a strength of ours on the kickoff coverage, and that was a strength of theirs coming in. We knew that that was going to be a challenge. A 98-yard touchdown against the Texans a few weeks ago, and we weren’t good enough in that matchup.”
