The surprise secret behind upset of Josh Allen’s Bills, and it has nothing to do with Drake Maye

In a surprising upset, the New England Patriots emerged victorious over the red-hot Buffalo Bills with a final score of 29-26 on Sunday. The win was a significant breakthrough for the Patriots, who managed to contain Josh Allen, the Bills' star quarterback, to just 233 yards and a single touchdown, while also forcing an interception. Allen had a difficult game, averaging a mere 0.8 yards per carry on his five rushing attempts, though he did manage to score one rushing touchdown.

While Drake Maye's performance was impressive, throwing for 269 yards and three touchdowns with a mere one interception and contributing 54 yards on eight carries, including a 26-yard run, Patriots reporter and columnist Andrew Callahan believes that the defense was the true star of this matchup. Analyzing the game film, Callahan broke down the defensive strategies the Patriots employed that stifled Allen's impact.

One of the crucial moves made by the Patriots was reducing their man coverage rate by nearly half against the Bills. This strategic adjustment helped prevent their defensive backs from getting tangled up in complex pre-snap motions and pick-route combinations, effectively keeping their eyes on Allen and limiting his scrambling to a mere four total rushing yards.

To counter Allen's frequent rolls to the right, the Patriots utilized overload fronts on that side of the field and occasionally assigned inside linebacker Christian Ellis as a spy.

Moreover, the Patriots opted not to blitz Allen frequently, which proved to be a beneficial decision. By not blitzing, they created confusion in Allen's decision-making process as he read the field. The Patriots' pass rush, consisting of four players, had ample time to reach Allen, allowing them to execute well-concealed disguises and gain an advantage.

Early in the game, the Patriots primarily utilized Cover 3, which presented Allen with a conventional man-to-man defense. As the game progressed, the Patriots shifted to a more balanced mix of Cover 2 and occasional blitzes, resulting in a near 50/50 split between man and zone coverage.