Mac Jones

The Indianapolis Colts significantly boosted their playoff chances with a 27-17 victory over the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night. 

Entering today as the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff standings, the Colts could end the weekend in the fourth spot if the Baltimore Ravens lose to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. 

The Patriots lost a game for the first time since Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys. They are also now looking up at the Kansas City Chiefs for the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the AFC playoff race. 

Jonathan Taylor sealed the Colts' victory with a 67-yard touchdown run that put the Colts up by 10 late in the fourth quarter. 

Prior to that score, the Patriots had rattled off 17 unanswered points to turn what looked like a blowout into a three-point game. 

New England's run defense got beat up in this loss. That unit allowed 228 yards and 5.8 yards per carry. Carson Wentz only threw the ball 12 times, completing five of those attempts for just 57 yards. 

Mac Jones overcame two interceptions on consecutive possessions to finish with a solid stat line overall. The rookie had 299 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. 

Notable Game Stats

• Carson Wentz, QB (IND): 5-of-12, 57 yards, TD, INT
• Jonathan Taylor, RB (IND): 29 carries, 170 yards, TD
• Nyheim Hines, RB (IND): 1 reception, 8 yards, TD
  
• Mac Jones, QB (NE): 26-of-45, 299 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
• Rhamondre Stevenson, RB (NE): 10 carries, 36 yards; 1 reception, 4 yards
  
• Hunter Henry, TE (NE): 6 receptions, 77 yards, 2 TD

Colts Show Playoff Credentials in Win

There's still no guarantee that the Colts will even make the playoffs, but Saturday's win was the biggest sign that they can cause a lot of problems against anyone in the AFC. 

Against a Patriots defense that held four of their last five opponents under 100 yards rushing, Indianapolis had 122 yards on the ground in the first half. 

New England's defense seemed to find a way to slow down Taylor for most of the second half. He only had 30 yards on 10 carries before ripping off the 67-yard touchdown to secure the win.

Head coach Frank Reich made a point of establishing Taylor and the running game right out of the gate. The Colts star running back had 18 carries at halftime, while Wentz only attempted six passes.

Reich, one of the architects of the "Philly Special" against the Patriots in Super Bowl LII, went into his bag of tricks once again in a matchup with Bill Belichick to get the Colts their first touchdown. 

The Colts kept their foot on the gas pedal after that initial touchdown. Special teams stepped up huge when Matthew Adams blew past the protection to block Jake Bailey's punt, allowing E.J. Speed to recover it in the end zone for another score. 

One reason that Reich was able to keep Wentz hidden for most of the game is because his defense did a fantastic job against New England's offense. 

The Patriots were driving down the field, looking to get a score before halftime, but it was halted when Darius Leonard picked off Jones at the 6-yard line. 

Leonard's interception allowed the Colts to take a 17-0 lead into halftime. This hadn't historically been a position they are used to being in against a Belichick-led team. 

Indianapolis extended its lead to 20 points early in the third quarter when Jones threw his second interception of the game, this one to Bobby Okereke. 

Reich did abandon the run on the drive after the turnover. Wentz dropped back to pass on all three snaps, completing one pass for no gain and getting sacked on third down for an eight-yard loss. 

There were some plays when Wentz got let down by his teammates. He threw a perfect pass in the back of the end zone over a defender where only Mo Alie-Cox could get it, but the big tight end couldn't corral the ball.

However, Wentz also attempted to let the Patriots back in the game with some baffling decisions. He double-clutched on a pass attempt early in the fourth quarter that allowed Jamie Collins to tip the ball up and into the hands of Devin McCourty. 

It's certainly easy to find some things that might hold the Colts back, but this game was also emblematic of all the things they do so well that makes them a threat to anyone in the AFC. 

Indianapolis' offensive line is getting healthier and playing up to its potential. Taylor has been running over defenders all season. The defense came into the game ranked ninth in points allowed per game (21.8). 

Leonard and DeForest Buckner are game wreckers along the first two levels of the defense when they are locked in. 

The AFC playoff picture really hasn't come into a lot of focus yet. The Kansas City Chiefs certainly look like they are all the way back, but the other division leaders—Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens—all look incredibly flawed right now. 

The Los Angeles Chargers have an incredibly high ceiling because of Justin Herbert, but they've yet to find consistency from week to week. Ditto, the Buffalo Bills with Josh Allen. 

There is no reason to think that the Colts can't compete with any one of those teams after dominating the Patriots.

What's Next?

The Patriots will host the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 26 in a rematch of their Week 13 game that New England won 14-10. The Colts will take on the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Christmas Day. 

This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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If he were eligible, Alabama star Bryce Young would be the first quarterback off the board in the 2022 NFL draft in the eyes of one NFC scouting director.

"He’s improved each week," the director said to The MMQB's Albert Breer. "Mature player who doesn’t force the ball, seems to take what the defense gives him. He’s good in-rhythm and shows the ability to make plays off script. Accuracy and arm strength are very good. He can anticipate and is improving his consistency."

The official also said Young, who can't enter the draft until 2023, may have a better resume than Alabama's last two starting quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones, because he "has carried the offense at times this year" and hasn't benefited from the same type of supporting cast his predecessors had.

ESPN's Dan Orlovsky agreed with the general assessment, comparing him to Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers:

While that's all obviously high praise of the sophomore signal-caller, his status with relation to the 2022 class might also be a reflection of who is draft-eligible.

On the most recent big board for Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Dept., Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder was the highest-ranked quarterback at No. 22. Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett (No. 30) and Ole Miss' Matt Corral (No. 50) were the only others in the top 50.

No quarterback fell down draft boards more than Spencer Rattler. The Oklahoma star was a preseason Heisman Trophy contender and a candidate for the No. 1 pick. Instead, he lost his starting job to Caleb Williams and entered the transfer portal.

North Carolina star Sam Howell and Liberty star Malik Willis didn't fare much better as they watched their stock slide throughout this season.

That's to take nothing away from Young. He has thrown for 4,322 yards, 43 touchowns and four interceptions while completing 68 percent of his passes.

As the scouting director alluded to, Young put up those big numbers without having any of DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Henry Ruggs III or Jerry Jeudy catching passes. Jameson Williams and John Metchie are a dynamic tandem but somewhat below the ridiculous high standard the Crimson Tide set over the last few years.

Rattler is a bit of a wild card because his outlook can change drastically if he enjoys a bounce-back year at another school. But when the experts begin to compile their 2023 mock drafts, Young will almost certainly occupy the No. 1 spot.

First place in the AFC East belongs to the New England Patriots.

New England defeated the Buffalo Bills 14-10 in Monday's low-scoring divisional clash at Highmark Stadium. Mac Jones attempted just three passes, but Damien Harris and the defense led the way for the victors as they improved to 9-4 on the season with a seventh consecutive win.

Buffalo moved into the red zone twice in the fourth quarter, but the Patriots forced a missed field goal and turnover on downs to preserve the win.

The defense also played well for the Bills, although it wasn't enough to prevent them from dropping to 7-5 overall and 3-4 in their last seven games.

Notable Player Stats

• Mac Jones, QB, NE: 2-of-3 passing for 19 yards
• Damien Harris, RB, NE: 10 carries for 111 yards, 1 TD
• Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, NE: 24 carries for 78 yards
  
• Josh Allen, QB, BUF: 15-of-30 passing for 145 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs; 6 carries for 39 yards
• Stefon Diggs, WR, BUF: 4 catches for 51 yards

No Quarterback Necessary for Patriots

Perhaps nobody in the NFL was playing better football than the Patriots coming into Monday's game, and the blustery weather figured to play right into their hands since they have been so reliant on the running game and short passing attack.

The game plan was crystal clear when Jones threw a grand total of one pass in the entire first half and New England still held an 11-7 lead.

Harris exploded past a crowded box for a 64-yard touchdown run, and Brandon Bolden's two-point conversion gave the visitors an early lead in the first quarter. Nick Folk also cut through the wind with a field goal, and the defense played well enough to ensure the advantage held up heading into the second half.

Still, there was plenty of pressure on the defense to hold up against Josh Allen and Co. given New England's offensive approach. While it did a solid job of keeping the mobile quarterback in the pocket, the game got that much closer in the third quarter when Tyler Bass drilled a field goal through the wind.

The Patriots responded like they were a service academy at the collegiate level and used tight formations with fullbacks and tight ends to shorten the game and go with run after run. They even unleashed a quarterback sneak on back-to-back plays on third and fourth down, but Buffalo finally responded in the red zone with multiple tackles for loss to force another field goal.

While Jones finally threw multiple passes in the fourth quarter, it became all the more obvious it would be up to the defense if New England was going to win when Harris was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

The defense answered the call with two red-zone stops in the fourth quarter with Myles Bryant breaking up the final fourth-down attempt after a clutch Matthew Judon sack on the previous drive.

Bills Squander 4th-Quarter Chances

Monday was an opportunity for the Bills to right the proverbial ship after going just 3-3 in the previous six games. The inconsistency prevented them from building on a promising 4-1 start, although all it would take was a home win over the rival Patriots to seize control of the division again.

While the weather was largely to blame, they certainly didn't look ready to seize control of the division in the early going.

A fumbled exchange between Allen and Matt Breida ended a promising drive in New England territory, and the offense punted on four of its other five possessions in the first half as it struggled to move the ball in the elements.

Yet the halftime deficit would have been much worse than four if one of those punts didn't hit N'Keal Harry to set Buffalo up in the red zone. Allen found Gabriel Davis for a touchdown on the ensuing play, which was all the home team needed to stay well within striking distance heading into the second half.

There were only so many possessions to work with in that second half, though, since New England completely abandoned even the threat of a pass on almost every play. The two sides traded field goals in the third quarter, which at least gave the Bills a chance to win it in the fourth.

It seemed as if they would do just that when they advanced to the 6-yard line, but Judon's sack led to a missed field goal. They still got one more opportunity after New England went three-and-out, but they never advanced past the 13-yard line.

The back-to-back empty trips to the red zone will surely haunt Buffalo fans if their team finishes behind the Patriots in the final standings.           

What's Next?

The Bills travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14, while the Patriots head into their bye before a road game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

The New England Patriots didn't give a damn about style points Monday when they realized a freezing evening with 20-plus mile-per-hour winds would drastically affect their meeting with the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. 

Instead, Bill Belichick and Co. concocted the perfect game plan to counteract the conditions while simultaneously crushing the soul of their division rival with a heavily adorned ground-and-pound gala. 

The Bills should come away supremely disheartened by their effort during the Patriots' 14-10 victory. 

First, New England now sits alone atop the playoffs standings as the first AFC squad with nine wins. Second, the Patriots have what may be an insurmountable 7-1 conference record, while every other AFC participant has at least three conference losses. Third, the division leader has yet to lose on the road. Finally, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels called the type of game that haunts an opponent because the Bills knew what was coming and couldn't do anything about it. 

When the weather gets cold and windy, the approach simplifies: run the ball, play for field position and let the defense go to work. 

"Just a crazy game to be a part of," Patriots quarterback Mac Jones told reporters after the contest. "We knew if we didn't turn the ball over, we'd be good."

Jones did receive credit for participation, but that's about it. In one of the wildest stat lines in recent memory, the rookie signal-caller completed two-of-three passes for 19 yards. Historically, the Patriots achieved something special. They became the first team to win a game with three or fewer passes since Week 3 of the 1974 campaign, per ESPN Stats & Info. The two completions are the fewest in the Patriots' franchise history, with the three attempts now the least in any single game. 

Why throw the ball when a team doesn't need to do so? 

With that thought in mind, New England ran for 222 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry despite Buffalo placing eight to nine men in the box on nearly every single snap.

"I'm just trying to win," Jones responded when asked about his lack of passing. "It was good we scored more than the other team."

New England's performance harkens back to what Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who fielded the league's No. 1 defense last season as a Rams coordinator, said when asked why running the ball remains important in a pass-first league: 

"There's a physicality to the game that's real, right? If you're just a passing team, there's a physical element to the game that the defense doesn't have to respect. And that's the truth. Because the data will tell you that you don't need a run game to play pass. You don't need that.

"But what the running game does for you it brings a physical dimension to the football game. And what the running game does that the passing game does not, is the running forces the defense to play block and to tackle. That happens on a run play—you must play blocks, and you must tackle. In the passing game, those things don't need to happen, right? You don't have to play as many blocks. And you may not have to tackle based on incomplete or not. So what the running game does is it really challenges your physicality, and that's why I think the run game is important to a quarterback. It's literally going to allow him to have more space to operate when you do throw the football."

In this particular contest, Jones didn't need to throw the football but three times. Obviously, inclement weather played a significant factor. But the Bills' Josh Allen was able to cut the wind and make a few exceptional tosses throughout the evening. 

The importance of Staley's words revolves around the physical aspect. At its core, football remains a violent game. While it may not be entirely quantifiable, the idea of imposing one's will onto an opponent is taught to players at every single level. As the old adage goes, "The greatest feeling in football is moving a man from Point A to Point B against his will." 

McDaniels' approach during New England's latest victory—its seventh straight—took this idea and actually implemented it as part of the team's playcalling. Personnel packages consistently included a sixth offensive lineman plus the team's fullback, Jakob Johnson. 

Nothing the Patriots did was groundbreaking. If anything, their style of play invoked memories of Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers with some of the sweep plays they ran. McDaniels called traps and powers. He also got his running backs on the edge to create a few chunk plays. 

Simply put, New England was much bigger and more physical at the point of attack. 

"For the offensive line to do what they did was incredible," Jones said. 

The performance didn't fall entirely on the offensive line, though the group played extremely well. The Patriots' wide receivers, particularly N'Keal Harry, helped set the tone by sealing the edge and laying some wicked crack-back blocks. The 227-pound Rhamondre Stevenson ran hard and through plenty of tackles once he took over for an injured Damien Harris, whose beautiful 64-yard-scamper served as the Patriots' lone touchdown. 

The Bills' underbelly showed, and it's more prone to attack than the dragon Smaug from The Hobbit. Buffalo can't stop the run even when it knows it must. Against the Patriots, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts, Sean McDermott's defense allowed an average of 210.7 rushing yards per game. 

Buffalo is supposed to be one of the AFC's top squads, but everyone is finding out quickly the conference is being overrun by mediocrity. This places the Patriots in prime position as the postseason looms.

Among the other teams currently in playoff slots, the Titans are without Derrick Henry. The Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson has played poorly as of late with eight interceptions in his last four appearances. The Kansas City Chiefs have improved, particularly on defense, but Patrick Mahomes continues to struggle with certain defensive looks. The Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals are highly inconsistent. 

The Patriots are just plugging along with all of the tools to continue their winning ways.

Monday's performance is an aberration, of course. New England was prepared for the moment and willed its way toward a positive performance. But Belichick's current squad is more than capable of playing and beating every team in the NFL with an efficient (and likely NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year) operator behind center, a physical offensive front, weapons at tight end and wide receiver, a stable of talented backs and the league's No. 1 scoring defense. 

"This is not finished. We're not even close to being done. We haven't even hit our ceiling, as Coach would say," running back Brandon Bolden told reporters. 

New England couldn't care less about what anyone thinks regarding their style of play. The Patriots continue to win. Nothing else matters. They've re-emerged as the AFC's best team as a result. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones is once again following in the footsteps of Tom Brady by creating his own brand.

According to Darren Rovell of Action Network, Jones filed a trademark for "MJ10" with the intent of using the brand for clothing:

Brady, the longtime Patriots quarterback prior to Jones' arrival, already has a successful brand in his own right in TB12.

After contending for a Heisman Trophy at Alabama last season, Jones fell all the way to the quarterback-needy Pats with the No. 15 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Jones was the fifth quarterback off the board, going behind Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Justin Fields, and all he has done is outperform all of them by a significant margin.

The rookie signal-caller has New England off to an 8-4 start this season, which is good for first place in the AFC East and second overall place in the AFC.

Jones and the Pats got off to a rocky 2-4 start, but they have now reeled off six wins in a row, including impressive victories over AFC competition like the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans.

While Jones' stats don't off the page, he has been solid, completing 70.3 percent of his passes for 2,850 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Jones was naturally compared to Brady when he joined the Patriots out of college, and thus far he has lived up to or exceeded all expectations.

The biggest challenge of Jones' young career will come Monday night when he goes on the road to face the 7-4 Buffalo Bills in a game that will decide sole possession of first place in the AFC East.