Bills quarterback Josh Allen played his worst game of the season in Sunday's loss to the Dolphins.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen played his worst game of the season in Sunday's loss to the Dolphins.Doug Murray/Associated Press
The Bills under Josh Allen and Sean McDermott always have a few blips throughout the season, yet they still end up as AFC East champions. Sunday’s blip, though, seems more dire than usual.
The Bills dropped to 6-3 with a shocking 30-13 loss to the Dolphins, with McDermott hinting at an injury excuse and players admitting they didn’t have enough juice.
“They played harder than us, simple as that,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said.
The inconsistent Bills are where we begin the Week 10 review:
⋅ A week after securing an emotional win over the Chiefs, the Bills forgot to show up Sunday in Miami and let the previously two-win Dolphins run all over them in a blowout. The Bills trailed, 16-0, at halftime, and Allen played his worst game of the season, with two giveaways, agreeing with Dawkins that his team had no energy.
“They wanted it obviously a little bit more than us,” Allen said.
Nothing Iffy about that 😄 pic.twitter.com/uKZTOfNmr4
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 9, 2025
McDermott then played the “I’m not saying, I’m just saying” card about injuries, which have hit the Bills hard on defense.
“We’ve got some guys banged up, but no excuses,” he said. “This year is probably as much [injuries] as I’ve been around. I don’t know what it is, I really don’t. But we’ve got to figure that piece out pretty quickly here.”
The Bills sound like they know they’re in trouble. In previous years, when the rest of the AFC East was terrible, the Bills could afford a few midseason hiccups and still cruise to a division title. But Sunday’s loss dropped them 1½ games behind the Patriots in the division race, plus the Patriots have the first head-to-head victory and an easy schedule the rest of the way.
The Bills’ schedule doesn’t get easier, with a visit from the Buccaneers this week, then trips to Houston and Pittsburgh. If the Bills don’t fix their team quickly, they’re probably looking at a wild-card spot and a road playoff game.
⋅ With all due respect to the Patriots, Colts, Broncos, and Eagles, the NFL’s two best teams may play in the NFC West. The Seahawks jumped all over the Cardinals with a 38-7 lead at halftime en route to an easy victory and a 7-2 record, best in the NFC. The Rams also kept pace at 7-2 by jumping out to a 21-0 lead and cruising to victory over the 49ers.
The Seahawks are a top-five team in points scored and allowed, they have an MVP candidate in Sam Darnold, and they are suffocating their opponents during their four-game winning streak. The Rams have been a juggernaut the last three weeks, averaging 37 points per game with Matthew Stafford becoming the first quarterback in history to throw at least four touchdown passes with no interceptions in three straight.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had another game of four touchdown passes and no interceptions on Sunday against the 49ers.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had another game of four touchdown passes and no interceptions on Sunday against the 49ers.Godofredo A. Vásquez/Associated Press
The Rams host the Seahawks Sunday in Los Angeles, a game that could go a long way toward determining the NFC’s participant in the Super Bowl.
⋅ As much as the Patriots proved their legitimacy in Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers, so did the Colts with their gutsy overtime win over the Falcons in Germany. The Colts didn’t play their best by any stretch, but they still gained 519 yards, scored 31 points, and muscled out an impressive win.
Running back Jonathan Taylor had 286 total yards and three more touchdowns, continuing to make his case for MVP. Daniel Jones also bolstered his MVP case by authoring two impressive late drives and leading the charge with a mouth full of blood. And the Colts’ defense has quietly been impressive, holding the Falcons to 290 total yards and 0 for 8 on third down.
Jonathan Taylor was off and running against the Falcons in Berlin.
Jonathan Taylor was off and running against the Falcons in Berlin.Martin Meissner/Associated Press
The Colts will have several more chances to prove their legitimacy, with a closing stretch that entails the Chiefs, Seahawks, 49ers, and two each against the Jaguars and Texans.
Tracking Former Patriots
49ers QB Mac Jones: Jones fought admirably and played well, completing 33 of 39 passes for 319 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in a 42-26 loss to the Rams. Jones is 5-3 as the starter with three 300-yard games, but the 6-4 49ers need a spark and might go back to Brock Purdy.
Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett: Lost two fumbles that were returned for touchdowns in a blowout loss to the Seahawks, but you also have to admire Brissett for fighting hard for 60 minutes and turning a 38-7 game into a 44-22 loss.
Steelers S Kyle Dugger: Played all 73 defensive snaps and finished with five tackles (one for loss) in a 25-10 loss to the Chargers.
Texans GM Nick Caserio and offensive coordinator Nick Caley: Looked headed to another loss when backup quarterback Davis Mills discovered some fourth-quarter magic and overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Jaguars, 36-29. The win arguably saved the Texans’ season, and at 4-5 they’re just one game out of the final AFC playoff spot.
Giants coach Brian Daboll:Got fired on Monday in the middle of his fourth season after losing to the Bears and falling to 2-8 this year (20-40-1 overall). The record was poor, and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart had his fourth concussion check of the season on Sunday, which perhaps told ownership it was time to make a change.
UNC coach Bill Belichick:Improved to 4-5 with a 20-15 win over Stanford, the Tar Heels’ second ACC win in a row. Belichick and Co. took a lot of flak for poor play early this season, yet true to form, Belichick’s team is improving. The Tar Heels need to finish 2-1 against Wake Forest, Duke, and N.C. State to be bowl eligible.
BC coach Bill O’Brien:The Eagles dropped to 1-9 with a 45-13 loss to SMU, and the teapot boiled over in a press conference last week.
Quick hits
⋅ Baker Mayfield called out his teammates after Sunday’s loss to the Patriots, saying they lacked “killer instinct” and didn’t haven’t enough pride in their work. “Whether it’s mistakes or things we talk about and then it shows up on Sundays, you have to have some pride about you,” he said.
⋅ The 49ers are the worst 6-4 team in the NFL. They’re 31st in turnover differential, can’t run the ball (32nd in rushing average), and tied for last in sacks (12).
⋅ Jets quarterback Justin Fields on passes beyond the line of scrimmage: 2 of 7 for 7 yards. But the Jets beat the Browns, 27-20, because they became the first team since the 2017 Ravens to score kickoff and punt return touchdowns in the same game.
⋅ The Dolphins’ win was impressive, but they also started the game with a penalty and called a timeout before any time ticked off the game clock.
⋅ The Vikings had eight false starts in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens, the most by a home team since the 2009 Bills. Running back Aaron Jones said the Ravens were “playing a little game” by making line calls that sounded like J.J. McCarthy’s snap cadence.
⋅ Move over, Travis Hunter: Patriots defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga played eight snaps as a lead blocker on offense, and 28 snaps on defense.
⋅ Patriots-Buccaneers was the first game featuring at least six offensive touchdowns by rookies since the Bears scored six by themselves in a 1965 win over the 49ers. Gale Sayers had five of the touchdowns.
⋅ The Jaguars dropped to 53-1 all time when leading by 19-plus points at any point in the game.
The Texans roared back to beat the Jaguars.
The Texans roared back to beat the Jaguars.Tim Warner/Getty
⋅ The Browns will stick with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, which shows you how bad Shedeur Sanders is. Gabriel has been held to fewer than 200 passing yards in four of five starts.
When was the last time New England was a fun team, and do they have a shot at a deep playoff run?
Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com.