
Buffalo Bills

New England Patriots
Star Player
Josh Allen (BUF) 19/28-193yd 11run-48yd 3td
Boxscore
Summary
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Interstat) ā Josh Allen accounted for three touchdowns and James Cook III rushed for 107 yards and two scores as the Buffalo Bills outlasted the New England Patriots 35-31 on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots raced to a 14-0 first-quarter lead behind two Drake Maye touchdown runs. Buffalo responded with 21 unanswered points, taking its first lead on Allenās 5-yard pass to Cook just before halftime. New Englandās Andy Borregales kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired in the half, making it 21-17 Buffalo. The Bills extended their lead with two third-quarter touchdowns. The Patriots closed to 28-24 on a 65-yard TreVeyon Henderson touchdown run in the fourth, but Cookās second rushing touchdown sealed the win. Henderson finished with 148 rushing yards and two scores for New England. Attendance was 64,628. The Bills improved to 10-4, while the Patriots fell to 11-3.
Extended Summary
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Interstat) ā In a critical AFC East clash with playoff seeding implications, the Buffalo Bills staged a furious second-half comeback to defeat the New England Patriots 35 to 31 on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. The victory avenged an early-season loss to the Patriots and tightened the division race as the calendar nears the postseason. A crowd of 64,628 witnessed a game of starkly contrasting halves. The Patriots, leveraging a dynamic ground attack and efficient play from quarterback Drake Maye, built a commanding 24-7 lead by halftime. The Bills, held scoreless in the first quarter, looked listless. The second half, however, belonged entirely to Buffalo, which outscored New England 28 to 7 behind the relentless running of James Cook and timely throws from Josh Allen. The most important sequence of the game came late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, a stretch that saw Buffalo seize momentum for good. Trailing 24 to 14 and having just driven deep into Patriots territory, the Bills faced a critical fourth-down decision at the New England 1-yard line. They opted to go for it, and James Cook was stopped for no gain on a run up the middle, a massive defensive stand for New England that preserved a 10-point lead. The Patriots took over but could not escape the shadow of their own goal line. On second down, Maye dropped back and looked for receiver Mack Hollins deep down the right sideline. Bills cornerback TreāDavious White, in a pivotal play, undercut the route for an interception at the Buffalo 9-yard line, snuffing out a potential game-sealing drive. Capitalizing on the turnover, Allen engineered a meticulous 91-yard touchdown drive that bridged the third and fourth quarters. It was capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Allen to tight end Dawson Knox, pulling Buffalo within three points at 24 to 21. The Patriots responded immediately, as on the very next play from scrimmage, running back TreVeyon Henderson broke through the line and raced 65 yards for a touchdown, seemingly restoring order and a 31 to 21 lead with 9:49 remaining. Undaunted, the Bills answered right back. Allen connected with receiver Khalil Shakir for a 37-yard gain down to the New England 8, setting up Cookās second rushing touchdown of the day, an 11-yard burst up the middle that cut the deficit to 31 to 28. The Bills defense then forced a crucial three-and-out, giving Allen the ball back with just over eight minutes to play. Allen methodically moved Buffalo down the field again. A key defensive pass interference penalty on Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III advanced the ball, and Cook finished the drive with his third touchdown, an 11-yard run that gave Buffalo its first lead of the day at 35 to 31 with 6:48 left. The Patriots had two final possessions to reclaim the lead. The first ended with a sack by Buffaloās Matt Milano. The final drive began at their own 15 with 2:43 remaining and no timeouts. Maye was sacked again, this time by Greg Rousseau, and his final four passes fell incomplete, the last on a fourth-down heave toward Henderson that was well-defended. Allen then took three kneel-downs to seal the dramatic victory. The statistical ledger highlighted the tale of two halves. For New England, TreVeyon Henderson was a force, rushing for 148 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries, including his long fourth-quarter score. Quarterback Drake Maye completed 14 of 23 passes for 155 yards and added 43 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, but his late interception proved costly. Linebacker Jack Gibbens led the Patriots defense with nine tackles and a sack. For Buffalo, James Cook was the workhorse, carrying 22 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns, while also catching a 5-yard touchdown pass from Allen. Quarterback Josh Allen was efficient, completing 19 of 28 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns, and added 48 rushing yards. Linebacker Matt Milano was everywhere on defense, recording 10 tackles and two sacks. Cornerback TreāDavious Whiteās interception was the gameās only turnover and its most pivotal defensive play. With the win, Buffalo improves to 10-4, snapping a two-game losing streak to New England this season and keeping pace in the competitive AFC playoff picture. The Patriots, who entered the game with the AFCās best record, fall to 11-3. The result sets up a compelling final three weeks of the regular season, with both teams firmly in the hunt for the division title and a high postseason seed. Buffalo will travel to face the Cleveland Browns next Sunday, while New England will visit the Baltimore Ravens.
Preview
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Interstat) ā A critical AFC East rematch with significant playoff implications is set for Sunday when the Buffalo Bills visit the first-place New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots (11-2) enter Week 15 riding a five-game winning streak and can clinch the division title with a victory. The Bills (9-4), currently in the AFCās wild-card position, aim to avenge a 23-20 home loss to New England on Oct. 5 and keep their division hopes alive. New Englandās success has been fueled by rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who has thrown for 576 yards and three touchdowns without an interception during the teamās current streak. In the Patriotsā 33-15 win over the New York Giants on Dec. 1, Maye completed 24 of 31 passes for 282 yards and two scores. Buffalo counters with the dynamic dual-threat of quarterback Josh Allen, who is coming off a spectacular performance in a 39-34 shootout win over Cincinnati last Sunday. Allen passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 78 yards and another score. Over his last four games, Allen has accounted for 10 total touchdowns. The Billsā offense, however, has been inconsistent, averaging 31 points in their wins but just 16 in their losses this season. Their defense faces a stern test against a balanced Patriots attack that features running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson. According to National Statisticalās game simulator, the Patriots are projected to win 32-21. Oddsmakers have installed New England as a 1.5-point favorite, with an over/under of 49.5 points. A Patriots win would secure the AFC East crown and bolster their case for the conferenceās top seed. A Bills victory would tighten the division race and strengthen Buffaloās positioning in a crowded AFC playoff field.