Did Matt Judon get away with dirty play on Josh Allen?

The New England Patriots got off to a rough start against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

They went backwards on their opening drive and were forced to punt. Then, the Bills engineered a 13-play 61-yard drive that culminated in a Isaiah McKenzie touchdown on fourth down in the red zone.

Like any buttoned-up Bill Belichick group, however, the Patriots responded with their own punishing drive to level things up at 7-7.

These teams are so evenly matched that this game could come down to a matter of which squad has the ball last. With so much at stake, it’s not a surprise that things have gotten chippy on both ends in the first half.

However, no sequence stood out more than when Matt Judon appeared to intentionally trip Josh Allen well after he released the ball.

Did Patriots star Matt Judon intentionally trip Josh Allen?

As much as we’d like to give Judon the benefit of the doubt, he’s a master when it comes to getting under an opponent’s skin. The three-time Pro Bowler knows exactly how to toe the line in regard to avoiding a flag for extracurricular antics and that was on full display here.

Judon tried to be discreet as possible, but not even we can make the case that his left leg got tied up with Allen. The Bills quarterback certainly sold it, but it was to no avail as the referees had their eyes downfield.

If Judon is looking to force a retaliation penalty on Buffalo, he should probably look elsewhere on the opposing sidelines. Allen is one of the more level-headed players in the league, so he’s not going to fall for stunts like this.

On the other side of the coin, Patriots fans have to love the leader of the defense setting the tone in such a huge game.

Damien Harris’ pumped-up practice proves he’s ready to dominate Bills

New England Patriots starting running back Damien Harris was spotted at practice looking extremely upbeat and motivated for Sunday.