32  runs in a row. Somewhere, a naked and relaxing Mark Shlereth still lays in bed alone smoking a cigarette. This was old school football guy utopia in the age of passing analytics making it a true Belichickian work of art and I’m here to celebrate this flex. If Michael Jordan didn’t need to open his eyes to sink a free throw then why should Bill need to do something as desperate as passing the ball in a crucial prime time division game to take the #1 spot in the AFC?

Here is each and every offensive play charted chronologically by either run (blue) or pass (red):

This chart is the gamblers fallacy in action. We’ve all seen patterns like this at the roulette table and continued to flush our money down the drain on the overdue red. I had the same exact feeling watching this game. All I can say is I’m thankful you can’t live bet a run/pass decision. Or can you? Don’t tell me.

Let’s talk about those three passes too. Below is a histogram showing all quarterback performances since 1999 from the passer with the MOST pass attempts for his team in a single game. Basically, this means the starting quarterback:

Squint real hard and you’ll see the sliver of blue at 3 passes for Mac Jones who threw the 12,104th most passes for his team as the starter out of – checks notes – 12,104 performances.

OK back to those 32 rushes in a row. Here is the top of the record book leader board for teams with the most consecutive runs without a pass since my data goes back to 1999:

As you can see, the Patriots 32 blew the rest out of the water with nine more rushes than any other team. And yeah, you could say the book is out on the Buffalo Bills rush D as the top-two consecutive rushing teams on this list both played against the Buffalo Bills… in 2021.

Everyone sing it with me here:

“Nobody Circles the “Actually, Let’s Just Run the Ball Again” Play Like the Buffalo Bills… 2021 Opponents”

I’ve never seen a coach show such blatant disregard for down and distance like Bill Belichick. Sure the wind, I know, but seven of these runs were on third down. The confidence and bravado to strategically not really even try while the game is completely up for grabs would send shivers down my back as an opposing coach. Belichick channeled his inner Andre the Giant and just wanted Buffalo to think they were doing well.

The best part of this streak is that it started in the first quarter and stretched midway into the fourth as the whimsical Patriots carelessly meandered down the field run after run while leading by no more than four points. I think we have to consider the idea that page 2 through the rest of Josh McDaniels playbook slipped out of the ole binder in a Buffalo area Starbucks. It would be so Belichick to find this out and force McDaniels to work with what he has as punishment. Seriously, the only reason teams ever go on run stretches of this magnitude is because they are winning big and trying to milk the clock. This was the case for the next three teams on the consecutive rush record as shown by their roulette board charts:

Things start very normally in all three games above with an average run/pass balance until at least the third quarter when the time came to milk the clock and secure the win. This all makes sense. And unless you have the cojones of Bill Belichick, no self respecting team in a million years would ever make such a run of runs in the first quarter. And definitely not to start off the game.

Enter the #5 team on the consecutive run list: Bill Callahan’s 2003 Oakland Raiders who started a game vs the Jets with 21 consecutive runs:

What is it with guys named Bill just wanting to run? You’ll wonder the same thing until I tell you that his starting quarterback was Rick Mirer. This was nothing like Bill Belichicks flex; these were just sad runs. The Raiders even somehow managed to run the ball twice with 6:24 left in the first quarter which is confirmed by Pro Football Reference. Don’t ask me how this is, I just run the numbers. But look, as long as you win I think you should be allowed to run as many times as you want to start the game. Just win, baby win. Except, the Raiders did not. Bill Callahan was doing cave art with this play calling while Belichick painted the Sistine Chapel. This was a true work of art no matter the wind conditions. I appreciated the hell out of it and know somewhere Mark Shlereth’s toes are still numb as he lights up another cigarette.