The New England Patriots left Orchard Park with a 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills, and nobody sounded more relieved than the group that finished the job on defense. After a game that tested the secondary from start to finish, Craig Woodson delivered the final blow with an interception in the closing seconds.
Woodson said the moment felt bigger than just a takeaway.
"God empowered me for moments like this," Woodson told reporters after the game. "Moments to make plays like this.
To have the opportunity to go out there and put the skillset he gave me on display, and go out there and give him the glory. That's all I thought about.
"Once the play happened, the ball went in the air. It was like it was slow motion, honestly."
The pick came only a few plays after New England went back ahead on Efton Chism III’s 23-yard touchdown, and it effectively silenced the crowd at Highmark Stadium. It also gave the Bills their first loss of the season. For Woodson, it was his first interception since the one he had against the Houston Texans in last season’s AFC Divisional game.
Carlton Davis made it clear the stakes felt real inside the locker room.
"We needed this win," cornerback Carlton Davis told Patriots On SI. "We needed this win for the division, so the urgency.
It was an urgency win. ... That s--- was f------ huge, bro.
"We needed players to step up. Like having lost our best corner, having lost C-Woods ... It's that next man up mentality."
That mindset had to carry a battered unit. Dell Pettus was put on IR a week ago after an ankle injury.
Christian Gonzalez sat out with a shoulder issue. Then Charles Woods exited in the fourth quarter after what he called a "stinger" in his shoulder.
Still, the Patriots secondary held together long enough to help pull off the win against one of the league’s hottest offenses.
"That's a team win," Woods told Patriots On SI. "That's what you call a team win right there.
Just guys playing complimentary football, special teams, o(ffense), defense. Beautiful."
The Bills did create some tense moments late. Josh Allen hit Keon Coleman for a 34-yard strike down the middle to put Buffalo back in front in the fourth quarter. Khalil Shakir also broke loose for a 50-yard gain, and Joshua Palmer would have added another big play if he had not dropped the ball.
But in the end, it was Woodson and the Patriots defense that had the last word.
"I'm very psyched," Woods said. "That's our mentality.
We always preach next man up, so you know, very excited. I'm very happy for (Woodson)."
Woodson was back in action after missing the Week 3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars with a shoulder injury suffered the week before. His return gave the Patriots a lift, and he said the team can still build on what it showed in Western New York.
"Just because we were 1-2 doesn't mean anything," Woodson said. "We can win as many games as we want."
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