If Buffalo Bills fans weren’t incensed enough over Sunday’s events, New England Patriots Tom Brady has stepped in to infuriate them more.
The Bills’ undefeated start to the season evaporated with a 16-10 loss to the Patriots at New Era Field and their hope going forward extinguished a little with the loss of quarterback Josh Allen, who will be in concussion protocol after taking a hard helmet-to-helmet hit. They feel as though there should have been an ejection. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, in his weekly radio appearance on Monday, voiced his opinion that a quarterback shouldn’t put himself in that situation.
Brady: There are QB risks with running
Brady addressed the hit from Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones during his weekly spot on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” Via ESPN:
“A lot of quarterbacks who do run, they’re trying to make yards and it’s great. At the same time, you’re susceptible to big hits.
“Whether it’s flagged or not, or whether it’s a penalty, a lot of the rules have changed over the years, but from a quarterback’s standpoint I feel like it’s always best to try to be available to the team, and it’s trying to take risk/reward and so forth. Nobody likes to see anybody get hurt out there. From my own experience, I try to do the best I can to avoid any big shots like that.”
Allen was knocked out of the game on the second play of the fourth quarter when he tried to get the 3rd-and-8 himself. Patriots safety Duron Harmon wrapped him up from Allen’s right side six yards in and cornerback Jonathan Jones came in from the other side to help. He drilled the quarterback helmet-to-helmet, knocking him out.
16 PHOTOSNFL Week 4: Patriots vs. BillsSee GalleryNFL Week 4: Patriots vs. Bills
New England Patriots defenders Jonathan Jones (31) and Duron Harmon (21) tackle Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Allen left the field after the play. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Matt Barkley passes against the New England Patriots in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman runs after catching a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen dives over the line of scrimmage to score a touchdown against the New England Patriots in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) catches a pass in front of New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde intercepts a pass in the end zone, thrown by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes against the Buffalo Bills in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen fumbles as he is tackled by New England Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen tries to break free from the grasp of of New England Patriots defensive tackle Lawrence Guy in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
New England Patriots’ Matthew Slater celebrates his touchdown after recovering a blocked punt in the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
New England Patriots running back Brandon Bolden celebrates his touchdown run against the Buffalo Bills with James White, rear, in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gets fired up up before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – SEPTEMBER 29: Buffalo Bills Quarterback Josh Allen (17) on the field after getting hit in the head during the second half of the game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills on September 29 ,2019, at New Era Field in Orchard Park, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – SEPTEMBER 29: Buffalo Bills wide receiver John Brown (15) holds onto the ball for a reception during the fourth quarter. The Buffalo Bills host The New England Patriots at New Era Field in Orchard Park, NY on Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – SEPTEMBER 29: New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham (4) kicks a field goal in the third quarter.He missed an extra point early in the game. The Buffalo Bills host The New England Patriots at New Era Field in Orchard Park, NY on Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – SEPTEMBER 29: New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon (10) is knocked out of bounds just short of the goal line during the third quarter. The Buffalo Bills host The New England Patriots at New Era Field in Orchard Park, NY on Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)Up Next
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Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness, but it offset a Bills offensive holding. Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters “there’s no room in football for that” and believed Jones should have been ejected.
Senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron told the Buffalo News why it wasn’t an ejection:
“Well, we looked at it and in this situation we didn’t feel that that contact rose to the level of an ejection. The player (Jones) actually turns. Obviously, there is helmet contact, but we have standards for an ejection, and this did not rise to that standard; therefore, we did not eject him.”
Brady shares career advice from Belichick
In the interview, Brady recalled how he became the Patriots’ starter after Drew Bledsoe was injured on a big hit. He also shared advice from Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who told him that to have a long career he should slide or throw the ball away.
The moment that made him say it was a 2001 game in Buffalo when a Bills defender hit a jogging Brady up the home team’s sideline and sent him directly to the ground underneath him. His helmet went flying backward.
Mindset in Buffalo around Brady
Bills safety Micah Hyde said after the game what most Bills fans likely were thinking in the moment.
“If one of us did that to 12 [Brady], we wouldn’t have been in the game anymore. There’s no way, there’s no way we would have continued to play in that game,” he told reporters after the game. He noted that any helmet-to-helmet contact, no matter the player’s position, is illegal.
Jones expressed concern after the game, per the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle.
“I have to watch it on film,’’ Jones said. “I had no intent to hurt him, we’re just out there running around playing football. I hope he’s OK, I’m going to check on him, he’s a good football player and I had no intention of hurting anybody.’’
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