Buffalo Breaks NE's Winning Streak

Disclaimer: I am a full time OBGYN and am in no way, shape, or form, a sport analyst or journalist. These are simply my reactions and thoughts.

Wow, what a week! Between my oral boards and two straight second-half comeback wins, I’m pretty sure I’ve earned a few new grey hairs. For anyone curious about how you become a board-certified OBGYN- you complete four years of medical school, four years of residency, pass a written board exam, collect at least a year of clinical cases, then take your oral boards. Once you pass both board exams, you're fully certified. I chose to subspecialize in Maternal–Fetal Medicine (high risk pregnancy), so I’m doing three more years of training and will take two additional board exams to be double board-certified. It’s a long, crazy journey, but I truly love it. You know what else I love? When Josh Allen is Superman. Get ready for a Josh Allen appreciation post.

Here are some of my reactions to week 15's comeback win against the Patriots:

1. I said it last week and I will say it again this week, anything is possible with Josh Allen! I am just going to list some numbers here: 193 passing yards, 48 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 78.2 QBR, and 123.1 passer rating. I know it was another slow start for our offense, but Josh Allen led the largest comeback in history for a visiting team at Gillette Stadium. He is the MVP, and he is Superman. Last week, we had an 8.4% chance of winning, and this week it was 6.2%- but he still made it happen. I know he, of course, had help with defensive turnovers. Last week's pick-6 by Benford was a huge turning point. But still, Josh Allen deserves credit too. On paper, Allen is having a better season than his MVP year with a higher passer rating, higher completion percentage, and more rushing yards. I know some people will say: "If Josh is having such a good season, why does Buffalo have 4 loses?" Well, I will tell you what a good family friend has told me multiple times. Team wins are not a quarterback statistic. Yes, typically an amazing quarterback means you have a winning team. But, that doesn't mean you win every game. It is a team sport after all. Which means I do have to mention other players, even though I could talk about Allen all day. James Cook had 107 yards and 3 total touchdowns. Dawson Knox again had another big game with 2 touchdowns. We again included our running backs in our passing game. I am still a fan of this! Speaking of running backs, I have to give Ray Davis some credit too. I didn't realize this until I read a post on Facebook. He is leading the NFL in average kick return yards at 32.4 yards, and this week had a 58-yard return that definitely helped get our offense going. 
   
   
2.  Unfortunately, again this week I am disappointed in the first half performance of our defense. They allowed a total of 246 rushing yards, a majority of which happened in the first half. The Patriots scored 24 points in the first half. I am honestly at a loss for words. I don't know what else to say other than it was disappointing. However, some magical adjustments happened at half time, and our defense came out looking like a completely different team. They only allowed 7 points the entire second half. Tre White also showed up Sunday and had the only turnover of the game. I don't know about anyone else, but I was just so happy for him to have a big game. I love all my players, but I just really enjoyed watching and getting to know him on Hard Knocks. Also, Matt Milano led the team with 10 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 tackles for a loss. I felt like he has had a quiet season due to injuries, but it is good to have him back! I really need our defense to play all 4 quarters next week, because I think we could all use a blowout win, and to not have to stress the entire game.
   
   
3. I know I have talked a lot about Buffalo being a second half team. It is almost like we have to be behind for everyone to start playing well. Just to put it into some context, in the second half of the game Sunday, Buffalo was 1st in offensive EPA, 2nd in offensive success rate, 10th in defensive EPA, 6th in defensive success rate, and 5th in pressure rate. If we could play like this all 4 quarters, I think we would be undefeated. I personally am still not a fan of the loose defense that then tightens up on 3rd downs and in the red zone. But, I am a doctor and not a professional football coach. I was also a little confused about the decision to start Coleman over Gabe Davis. I am hoping Gabe Davis gets to start this upcoming week. I think he has potential to make a difference in the playoffs.  

Next week, we take on the Browns. Again, hoping for a less stressful game! Our path to the playoffs is getting clearer and clearer each week. From what I am reading, if we beat the Browns and the Colts lose, we will be in the playoffs. I really do think this could be our Super Bowl, but I do think we have to tighten up on rushing defense and get our offense more explosive in the first half.

I’ve talked about breast and ovarian cancer before, and I’ll cover cervical cancer next month, but today I want to focus on colon cancer. It’s not specific to women, but it’s still one of the most common cancers and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Screening is crucial to catch it early—or even before it becomes cancerous. The American Cancer Society recommends starting screening at age 45 for average-risk women. The good news is there are now multiple options beyond colonoscopy, including stool DNA tests and stool immunochemical tests (like Cologuard). Symptoms to watch for include- blood in your stool, changes in bowel habits, unexplained abdominal pain or bloating, and unintentional weight loss. Talk with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re up to date on screening!

As always, and in the words of our MVP, be good, do good, God bless, and go Bills!

Rachel H. MD

{For more information visit: Educational Materials - Colon Cancer Coalition}