The Buffalo Bills traveled to Foxborough this week, in search of their fifth win of the season, but would end up losing 29-25 to the division rival Patriots.
Quarterback Josh Allen completed 25 of his 41 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns and one interception.
The Bills rushing attack contributed just 81 yards to the offense as the Bills passing attack carried the team with 258 yards.
This brought the Bills yard total to 339 yards for the game, which is their third lowest total of the season behind only the season opener against the New York Jets and last week against the Giants.
The Buffalo defense played a terrible game allowing the Patriots to record a season high in total yards with 364 yards, 268 of which came through the air.
This lead to a surprisingly low total of 98 yards for the Patriots rushing game on the afternoon.
Recap
The Bills offense came out sluggish for the third straight game, and New England would capitalize, getting out to an early 10-point lead.
The Bills would respond with a field goal from kicker Tyler Bass, putting Buffalo on the board.
However, the Patriots would respond with a field goal of their own, and retake their ten-point lead, this time 13-3.
The Bills would attempt to come back with points of their own, but would end up unsuccessful, punting the ball back to New England.
After the Bills defense made a stop, the offense would get one last opportunity to narrow the lead before halftime, but again would be stopped and the Patriots took a 13-3 lead into halftime.
Entering the second half, the Bills started with the ball after deferring to start the game.
The Bills offense would finally show some life, as the Bills would drive the ball down the field on a series of great throws from Josh Allen. Buffalo would cap off the long drive with a James Cook receiving touchdown to pull within three points.
However, New England would receive the ball and take over six minutes on a long drive that would end in three more points, putting New England in front 16-10.
The Bills would get the ball back and continue their momentum from their first drive, moving the ball down the field in an attempt to take their first lead of the afternoon.
The Bills would be tasked with converting a fourth down and two, and after an incompletion, the Bills offense would give the ball back to New England.
The Patriots would again take crucial time off the clock on a drive that ended with a touchdown to take a 22-10 lead. The Patriots would attempt a two-point conversion, but couldn’t convert as the score remained 22-10. The Bills were now down to seven minutes left, trailing by two possessions.
Buffalo would get the ball back and quickly march down the field and score a crucial touchdown on a drive that took less than three minutes, bringing the Bills within five points late.
After the Bills made a crucial stop on defense, the offense would be given the ball back down five with three and a half minutes to go.
The offense would again drive the field
quickly, before the Patriots defense forced a crucial fourth and two at their own eight-yard line.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen would complete a pass to tight end Dalton Kinkaid, and keep the drive going.
Shortly after, the Bills quarterback found himself in the endzone on a quarterback sneak, giving the Bills a one-point lead with less than two minutes to go.
The Bills would attempt a two-point conversion and after a completion to Dawson Knox was successful, the Bills extended their lead to 25-22.
However, the game was far from over, as New England had all three timeouts with a minute and 50 seconds left.
The Patriots would start their drive with a big gain on a screen pass to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, moving the ball inside the Bills 40.
The Patriots offense wasn’t concerned with tying the game anymore, but rather winning the game.
The offense would slowly make their way down the field, and found themselves at the Bills one yard line with 15 seconds left.
Patriots quarterback Mac Jones would then find tight end Mike Gesicki for the go-ahead touchdown with 12 second remaining to take a 29-25 lead.
The Bills offense had one last chance to create some magic and almost did, as Josh Allen threw a deep pass to Stefon Diggs who would drop it at the Patriots 30-yard line.
The Bills quarterback would then try to run the ball and lateral it backwards, and after a Patriots defender fell on it, the game would end, and New England would complete the upset 29-25.
Takeaways
This was Buffalo’s third game in a row where the offense had a lackluster first half, and twice it has cost them a victory.
The defense held the Patriots off in the opening half, but the flood gates started to open in the second half, allowing New England to score 16 points, including a last second touchdown to pull off the upset.
With the loss, the Bills now fall to 4-3 on the season, which is their worst start since 2019.
The Bills will need to turn the page quickly however, as they are set to play the 3-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.
