Patriots Country

Mac Jones Leads New England Patriots on Game-Winning Drive to Defeat Buffalo Bills 29-25

The New England Patriots host the Buffalo Bills in the first of two rivalry games between these two AFC East teams. Keep up-to-date with live updates from Gillette Stadium.

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It is gameday in Foxboro as the New England Patriots will host the Buffalo Bills inside Gillette Stadium in a matchup between two teams going in different directions.

The Patriots have dropped three games in a row to plunge to their worst start since 1995 at 1-5. Last Sunday, New England lost on the road to the Las Vegas Raiders in a game that did provide a little optimism.

Quarterback Mac Jones completed at least 70 percent of his passes (24-of-33) for the first time since Week 2's loss to the Miami Dolphins. Also, the Patriots snapped a streak of 12 consecutive quarters without an offensive touchdown. 

Before that, New England suffered the worst defeats of coach Bill Belichick's career, being outscored 72-3 in losses to the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints.

The six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Belichick now faces the tough challenge in the Bills. Buffalo found a way to win in Week 6 on the road against the New York Giants to move to 4-2. The defending AFC East champion Bills are on the tail of the 5-1 Miami Dolphins in the division race.

Jan 15, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) is pressured by Buffalo Bills cornerback Cam Lewis (47) during the fourth quarter of the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Highmark Stadium. The Bills won the game 47-17.  / Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback Josh Allen injured his right shoulder during the win on Sunday night football. X-rays were “normal” but Allen is "day-to-day," according to Buffalo coach Sean McDermott. Allen finished 19 of 30 for 169 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the win over the Giants. He leads the league with a 71.7 completion percentage.

"Defense is still on fire," Bills linebacker Von Miller said after Buffalo's win. "We had three sacks, held up tough toward the end of the game. Great win. I'll take them pretty, ugly, they all count the same. It's a good win and we just keep moving."

Buffalo is tied for the league lead in sacks with 24, and third in points allowed per game with 14.8. However, the injury bug has struck the Bills' defense, losing linebacker Matt Milano, tackle DaQuan Jones, and corner Tre’Davious White to injury. 

Falling in line with a lot of post-Tom Brady trends, the Patriots these days struggle against the Bills after two decades of dominance. With Brady at quarterback 2001-19, New England went an astounding 33-5 against Buffalo including a 15-game winning streak at one point. Since he left, however, the Pats have lost six of seven to the Bills including the last four matchups.

WHAT: Buffalo Bills (4-2) at New England Patriots (1-5)

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, 1 p.m. ET

WHERE: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA (64,628)

TELEVISION: CBS / FuboTV (try it free)

RADIO: WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub

TICKETS via SI TICKETS

BETTING via SI SportsBook

SPREAD: Bills -8.5

TOTAL: 39.5

MONEYLINE: Bills -450, Patriots +330

First Quarter

The Patriots' first drive lasted nine plays as they drove 63 yards before Chad Ryland hit a 30-yard field goal to take an early lead. Quarterback Mac Jones completed all three of his passes for 36 yards, which included a 25-yard completion to Pharaoh Brown. However, the Patriots were forced to kick the field after Rhamondre Stevenson was unable to pick up four yards on a third-down run.

FIELD GOAL PATRIOTS 

Patriots 3, Bills 0

Change of Possession

The Bills' first play only lasted a play as Jabrill Peppers intercepted Josh Allen's first pass. 

Change of Possession

The Patriots made quick work of the Bills defense following the interception, driving 45 yards in seven plays. Jones had two completions to Demario Douglas, one for 10 yards, then the next for 16 yards, to help set up New England in the redzone before Ezekiel Elliott finished it off with a two-yard rushing touchdown. 

TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS 

Patriots 10, Bills 0

Change of Possession

Second Quarter

A long 11-play drive for the Bills almost resulted in a touchdown as Allen found Dawson Knox for an eight-yard score, but an offensive pass interference penalty negated it. After a successful third-and-long throw from Allen, the Bills settled for a 36-yard field goal. 

FIELD GOAL BILLS 

Patriots 10, Bills 3

Change of Possession

The Patriots' drive lasted just three plays before a punt, as they only gained five yards.

Change of Possession

The Bills also suffer from a three-and-out as a delay of game penalty helps the Patriots' defense get off the field. 

Change of Possession

A 25-yard punt return from Douglas helped set up the Patriots to add to their lead with a 24-yard field goal by Ryland. The Patriots drive went just five plays as they couldn't convert a third-and-10. 

FIELD GOAL PATRIOTS 

Patriots 13, Bills 3

Change of Possession

The Patriots defense was able to stall out the Bills offense just outside the redzone as a second-down sack by Christian Barmore set up a third-and-17 pass that fell incomplete. Then, Tyler Bass's 42-yard field goal was pushed wide right.

Change of Possession

The Patriots' drive ended in a punt after six plays as they pinned the Bills on the one-yard line. 

Change of Possession

A two-yard run from Murray ends the first half.

Third Quarter 

The Bills offense comes out of halftime and finds the endzone for the first time with an eight-yard completion from Allen to James Cook. The touchdown catch capped off a drive where the second-year running back also had a 20-yard run to help set the Bills up in the redzone. 

TOUCHDOWN BILLS 

Patriots 13, Bills 10

Change of Possession

The Patriots weren't able to match the Bills' touchdown but were able to tack a field goal onto their lead. Prior to the field goal, Jones completed all three of his passes for 22 yards, while Douglas took a jet sweep 20 yards. 

FIELD GOAL PATRIOTS 

Patriots 16, Bills 10

Change of Possession

Fourth Quarter 

The Bills turned the ball over on downs after Allen's pass intended for Dawson Knox was broken up. 

The turnover on downs was just one of multiple opportunities for the Patriots to get off the field, as they had them backed into a third-and-15 early in the drive before Allen completed a pass to Murray to move the chains. Later in the drive, Allen converted a fourth-and-one on a quarterback sneak before their next fourth-down attempt fell short. 

Change of Possession

Jones picked up where he left off on the last drive, completing all four of his passes, which included an opening play 26-yard completion to Brown, as he led the Patriots down the field as he found Kendrick Bourne for a four-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots decided to go for two but couldn't get it even after a defensive pass interference penalty on the first attempt put them on the one-yard-line. 

TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS 

Patriots 22, Bills 10

Change of Possession

The Bills struck quickly as Allen hit a pair of 10+ yard completions paired with a roughing pass penalty that helped move them deep into New England territory, where he found Stefon Diggs for a 25-yard touchdown.

TOUCHDOWN BILLS 

Patriots 22, Bills 17

Change of Possession

Disaster struck for the Patriots as a complete pass to Bourne for a gain of nine yards was negated by a fumble as Jordan Poyer punched the ball loose to give the Bills the ball back. 

Change of Possession

Taking advantage of the short field, the Bills scored in eight plays on a quarterback sneak from Allen. The Bills added to their lead with a two-point conversion on a pass to Dalton Kincaid. 

TOUCHDOWN BILLS 

Bills 25, Patriots 22

Change of Possession

The Patriots were able to retake the lead as Jones led the team on a 75-yard drive in eight plays, as he found Mike Gesicki for a one-yard touchdown pass. 

TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS 

Patriots 29, Bills 25

Change of Possession

Allen's first pass fell incomplete before he was tackled and fumbled the ball on second down which was recovered by the Patriots to win the game. 

FINAL: Patriots 29, Bills 25

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