With the 2012 season done, we’ve decided to take a look back the 10 best plays of the year for the Patriots. Not every one of the plays ended in a touchdown, sack or interception, but the combination of execution, results and situation led us to name it one of the best of the year. First up, linebacker Brandon Spikes delivers a goal-line hit to help turn the tide in a win over the Bills.

DATE: Sept. 30, 2012, against the Bills in Buffalo. Coming off a dramatic last-second loss to the Ravens in Baltimore, the Patriots were looking to rebound from a 1-2 start. They were also looking to open their divisional slate with a victory over the Bills, who beat them in a September matchup in Buffalo the year before.

THE SITUATION: As the first half was coming to a close, it was clear the Patriots were struggling. New England had turned the ball over on multiple occasions, and trailed Buffalo, 14-7. With a raucous Ralph Wilson Stadium crowd calling for more, the Bills were knocking on the door at the end of the second quarter, looking to push out to a two-touchdown lead going into halftime. With 1:21 left in the half, Buffalo was on New England’s 4-yard line, and was facing a second-and-goal. 

WHAT HAPPENED: The Bills, who broke the huddle with two receivers to the left and two to the right, were looking to spread the Patriots out. (It makes sense, as Buffalo was able to move the ball easily throughout the first half through the air.) Running back C.J. Spiller was lined up to the left of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was in shotgun. Meanwhile, the Patriots were in a 4-3, with five defensive backs on the field. Linebacker Jerod Mayo would later say that he heard a lot of guys in the huddle, imploring someone to make a stop. “We can’t give them a touchdown,” Mayo recalled thinking when asked about the situation.

The Bills called for an inside handoff to C.J. Spiller. This was probably Buffalo’s first screwup -- instead of going with the bigger, more physical back in Fred Jackson, they went with their smaller back in Spiller. Regardless of the choice, Spiller plunged into the line off right guard, right over Vince Wilfork. (The Bills’ second error? Running right at Wilfork, one of the Patriots two best run defenders.) Spiller stumbled at about the 2-yard line before he met Brandon Spikes, who came flying in from his linebacker spot. Spikes not only knocked Spiller sideways, he jarred the ball loose. It was picked up by Wilfork, who rumbled a couple of yards in the other direction before being brought down. While there wasn’t enough time at the end of the first half for the Patriots to do anything about it, the fact that New England was able to keep Buffalo out of the end zone at the end of the first half proved to be a big momentum shift in the game. 

WHO STEPPED UP: Spikes -- who was targeted by Fitzpatrick and the Buffalo offense on several occasions in the first half when it came to the passing game -- had been struggling to that point, but delivered the big hit at the most important time. It jump-started a big second half for the linebacker, who finished the game with a pair of forced fumbles, as well as another colossal shot when he knocked Buffalo tight end Scott Chandler sideways following a New England interception. It was also a timely play for Wilfork, who also had a big game of his own. (Spikes’ shot on Chandler was rivaled only by this shot the Patriots defensive lineman delivered on Buffalo wide receiver Donald Jones.) It signaled the start of an impressive season for Spikes, who emerged as one of the most feared run defenders in the league over the course of 2012.

WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT: Any sort of momentum the Bills had enjoyed to that point went out the window. Buffalo would score at the start of the second half to take a 21-7 lead, but New England would dominate the rest of the way. It was one of six turnovers forced by the New England defense on the afternoon, and the play that ultimately provided the spark for the Patriots. While New England would hit the Bills with a ferocious second-half offensive attack, scoring on seven straight drives, Buffalo stalled out completely: The Bills wouldn’t run another play in Patriots territory until midway through the fourth quarter. (Buffalo did connect on a 68-yard touchdown pass play early in the third, but that came from the other side of the field.)

QUOTE: “That was a huge play. That was a big momentum play, because we were getting the ball to start the third quarter, so we felt like we would have a chance to cut into it a little bit if we could just get out of there with a field goal. It was a huge play.” -- Bill Belichick, on the stop and forced fumble

POSTSCRIPT: The Patriots ended up winning the game, 52-28, and there were several offensive stars on the afternoon. Brady was on the mark for most of the day, going 22-for-36 for 340 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon Bolden (137 rushing yards) and Stevan Ridley (106 rushing yards) kept the chains moving and ground out the tough yards. And Wes Welker (nine catches, 129 yards) and Rob Gronkowski (five catches, 104 yards, one touchdown) shook off early fumbles and went over the century mark themselves. In all, it marked only the second time in NFL history a team had two rushers top 100 yards and two pass-catchers top 100 yards in a single game. But in the end, it was the defense that rose to the occasion with a series of tone-setting hits that proved to be the difference.