Bill Belichick Cuts Off Question After Patriots’ Loss To Bills

Bill Belichick was in no mood to be second-guessed after the Patriots’ latest defeat.

Speaking with reporters after New England’s 27-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the head coach shut down a question about his team’s controversial offensive approach before halftime.

The Patriots got the ball back at their own 8-yard line, down 20-14, with 1:05 remaining in the first half. Though they had all three timeouts, the Patriots called a quarterback sneak and then a kneeldown, opting to run out the clock rather than trying to mount a scoring drive.

Here’s a transcript of Belichick’s postgame exchange:

Reporter: “There was a minute and five seconds to go in the first half, you guys had three timeouts from the 6, how much consideration did you–“

Belichick: “Zero.”

Reporter: “Was that a result of the turnovers? Just settle it down into halftime?”

Belichick: “Zero.”

The Patriots turned the ball over on four of their first six possessions Sunday — three Bailey Zappe interceptions and a lost fumble by tight end Pharaoh Brown. One of the interceptions was returned 40 yards for a touchdown, and the other three giveaways gave Buffalo the ball at New England’s 21-, 14- and 30-yard lines.

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New England’s Zappe-led offense eventually settled down, scoring rushing touchdowns in the second and fourth quarters and outgaining the Bills 294-281. But the early ball-security woes proved too much to overcome.

“Obviously, a terrible first 20 minutes,” Belichick told reporters. “I thought our guys really hung in there, battled away, but obviously, we just gave them too big of a lead and couldn’t quite get it back.”

The 4-12 Patriots will close out their season next Sunday against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium.