The New England Patriots (11-3) continued a familiar pattern Sunday, generating most of their offensive production in the first half. While that approach was more than enough against the New York Giants, it proved costly against the Buffalo Bills (10-4).
Reigning MVP Josh Allen engineered a comeback as Buffalo erased a 21–0 deficit to defeat New England 35–31, denying the Patriots a chance to clinch the AFC East.
It was a disappointing loss for a team that had been firing on all cylinders for much of the season. As the postseason nears, Drake Maye, a MVP candidate, made it clear he’s ready to shoulder the responsibility and take the heat moving forward.
“We just gotta be better when we’re up,” Maye said postgame. “It starts with me, making some throws. Coach says, ‘no naps,’ so just not relaxing. I didn’t feel like we relaxed, just didn’t make enough plays. Credit to them. It’s one of the things we emphasized during the week and gotta do a better job.”
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 14: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots scrambles under pressure from Daquan Jones #92 of the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter at Gillette Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Patriots Able to Run the Ball Against Bills
The Patriots dropped their first division game of the season, snapping a 10-game winning streak. New England has not won the AFC East since 2019, the final season with Tom Brady at quarterback.
Maye scored twice on the ground, while TreVeyon Henderson added touchdown runs of 52 and 65 yards, finishing with 148 rushing yards on 14 carries.
Down 35–31 with 2:43 remaining, the Patriots faced a fourth-and-5 from their own 22-yard line. Maye was forced out of the pocket, and his pass was knocked down by Joey Bosa . The Bills then ran out the clock to seal the win.
Despite light snow and a kickoff temperature of 32 degrees, the conditions did little to slow New England early. The Patriots scored on four of their first five possessions and carried a 24–7 lead into halftime. Buffalo, meanwhile, punted on all but one of its first-half drives.
Bills Open Things Up in the Second Half
Buffalo opened the second half with a sharp drive, sparked by Ray Davis’ 58-yard kickoff return and a 20-yard run by Allen, setting up Allen’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox . After forcing a New England three-and-out, the Bills chewed up just over five minutes on an 11-play, 70-yard march that ended with James Cook ’s 3-yard touchdown run.
On the Patriots’ ensuing possession, Maye’s deep throw was intercepted by Tre’Davious White . Buffalo took over at the New England 9 and later faced fourth down near midfield, where Allen extended the drive with a 37-yard completion to Dalton Kincaid before hitting Knox again for a 14-yard touchdown to give the Bills a 27-24 lead.
The advantage was short-lived, lasting only 14 seconds, as Henderson broke free down the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown on New England’s next snap. Buffalo answered immediately, finishing a seven-play, 65-yard drive with Cook’s 11-yard scoring run to regain the lead at 35-31 with 6:48 left.
Next week, the Bills head to Cleveland to take on the Browns (3-11), while the Patriots visit Baltimore to face the Ravens (7-7) on “Sunday Night Football.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us .
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Drake Maye Assigns Blame After Patriots Brutal Collapse Against Bills appeared first on Heavy Sports .