One play erased everything the New England Patriots had worked toward in Week 8. One play put an end to Bill Belichick’s relevance in the NFL for 2020. When Cam Newton fumbled with 31 seconds left in the game, he gave way to a Buffalo Bills’ 24-21 win. The Patriots were within field goal range for a tie, and they seemed to have the momentum to get into the end zone for a game-winning touchdown.
But that fumble ended the game. With New England sitting at 2-5, that fumble also effectively ended the season. Of course, the Patriots committed so many errors along the way. This was just the one that sealed the game and the season. But this was the moment for New England to turn around its season. For the first time under Belichick, the Patriots didn’t seize that moment. Here are the winners and losers from Week 8.