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The New England Patriots have stabilized their season with a 29-26 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park. New England moves to 2-2 on the year as Buffalo suffers its first loss of 2026 and drops to 3-1.
The win was propelled by some clutch play by New England following the two-minute warning. Most notably, wideout Efton Chism reeled in a jaw-dropping one-handed 23-yard touchdown from Drake Maye to give the Patriots a 27-26 lead. A successful two-point attempt between Maye and Rhamondre Stevenson extended the lead to a field goal, but that didn't matter thanks to the defense stepping up.
Buffalo got the ball back with about 1:43 left in regulation and held all of its timeouts, setting the stage for a possible game-winning drive by Josh Allen. However, after absorbing an initial hit, the Bills QB tossed a deep ball down the left sideline intended for Joshua Palmer. The pass was short and picked off by Patriots defensive back Craig Woodson, effectively ending the game for New England.
Maye completed 22-of-37 for 269 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on the day, while adding 54 yards rushing. His go-to option in the passing game was primarily Romeo Doubs, who caught two of his touchdowns on six catches for 58 yards. As for Allen, he completed 23-of-33 for 253 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The most surprising element of Allen's day was that he didn't make much of an impact with his legs, rushing five times for just four yards and a touchdown.
From here, the Patriots will head back to Gillette Stadium, where they'll host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. Meanwhile, the Bills will visit the Los Angeles Rams for a clash on "Monday Night Football."
Drake Maye bounces back
After a horrendous start to 2026 where Maye entered Week 4 leading the league in turnovers, the Patriots quarterback bounced back on Sunday. Yes, he's still a little loose with the football, as he was strip-sacked in the first half and technically had an interception (more on Romeo Doubs), but overall, he played a little bit more like the quarterback he was last season.
Maye's off-target rate (8.1%) was the lowest of any game he's played this season, as was his turnover-worthy throw rate (2.7%). He also had 13 completions that went for 10-plus yards, which is a season high. As Maye's passing saw a noticeable uptick in efficiency, so did his rushing. His eight attempts and 54 yards on the ground were a season-high, and that scrambling ability helped alleviate any pressure that Buffalo was trying to inflict.
This is a strong stepping stone for Maye to get back into form.
Keon Coleman has breakout game
One bright spot for the Bills in this defeat was a legitimate breakout game from Keon Coleman. The former second-round pick was instrumental in keeping Buffalo on pace with New England, especially after DJ Moore exited with a shoulder injury. Coleman caught six of his seven targets for 116 yards and a touchdown.
While the touchdown catch put points on the board, his circus sideline catch was his most impressive reception of the afternoon. That came on a third-and-6 play in the early minutes of the fourth quarter. Coleman initially got a hand on the ball, tipped it in the air, and then hauled it on along the sideline.
Patriots defense keys on Allen's legs, Kincaid
The Patriots defense entered this game without two of its most important players, Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore, due to injury. Despite that, they shut down two key elements of Buffalo's high-powered offense. Specifically, they did not let Josh Allen's legs beat them for most of the afternoon. While he did rush for a goal-line touchdown, he was largely kept in check, rushing for just four yards on five attempts.
Meanwhile, tight end Dalton Kincaid entered Week 4 on a white-hot pace, catching 14 of his 17 targets for 263 yards and a touchdown. On Sunday, he was limited to just a single catch for seven yards.
