Positional groupings

A look at the offensive positional groupings utilized by the Patriots in their 56-10 win over the Bills:

3 WR/1 TE/1 RB -- 31 of 70 snaps
4 WR/1 RB -- 16 of 70
2 WR/2 TE/1 RB -- 13 of 70
1 WR/2 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 9 of 70
3 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 1 of 70

ANALYSIS: Once again, this was a game in which the Patriots spread the field, with 47 of their 70 snaps coming with either three or four receivers on the field. The numbers would have been skewed more heavily in that direction had the team not called on more run-based packages in the second half when the outcome was decided -- there were only 14 of 32 snaps in 3-wide or 4-wide in the final 30 minutes. ... This marks the seventh time in the last eight games that the Patriots have had the majority of their snaps in the 3 WR/1 TE/1 RB package, which highlights how the offense has evolved from more of a 2 WR/2 TE/1 RB set last year -- with TEs Daniel Graham and Benjamin Watson on the field at the same time -- to more of a receiver-based attack. ... The spread approach also adds more context to the impressive performance of the offensive line, which did not allow a sack, did not have a holding penalty, and did not have a procedure penalty despite generally being left on their own to pass protect. ... The 4 WR/1 RB package was used in the two-minute situation at the end of the first half, which was a change as WR Jabar Gaffney (3 catches, 44 yards) was subbed in for TE Benjamin Watson. Perhaps the coaching staff feels Watson still needs some more time to work his way back from his ankle injury to keep pace in the hurry-up, two-minute situations.