The Patriots looked like they were ready to make a statement in Buffalo - and for two quarters, they did just that. Up 21-0 in the second quarter, New England had the Bills on the ropes, playing some of their best football of the season. But then came the second half - and with it, a collapse that could have major implications down the stretch.
Buffalo stormed back with four second-half touchdowns, flipping the script and handing the Patriots a 35-31 loss in a game that could have clinched the AFC East for New England. Instead, the division race is still very much alive, and the Patriots are left to regroup after letting a golden opportunity slip through their fingers.
Head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t sugarcoat things postgame. The breakdowns were clear, and they were costly.
“We weren’t able to get any stops,” Vrabel said. “When we had an opportunity to make a play, we weren’t able to make it.
Penalties. And that’s how this game goes.”
That’s about as blunt as it gets - and he’s not wrong. Missed tackles, untimely flags, and a defense that couldn’t get off the field in the second half turned what looked like a statement win into a stinging loss. The Patriots had a chance to put the division away and instead gave the Bills life.
Vrabel emphasized the margin for error in games like this. “A few small plays make the difference,” he said.
“We were very prepared for this team - we were going to need 60 minutes to beat this team. This is a good football team.
We had a lot of good football in there. And we had a lot of plays that, a few plays we’d like to have back that we’ll have to learn from.”
That’s the frustrating part. The Patriots didn’t get outclassed - they just didn’t finish.
The first half showed what this team is capable of when it’s locked in. The second half showed what happens when the execution slips, even just a little, against a team like Buffalo.
Despite the loss, New England still holds a one-game lead over the Bills with three weeks left in the regular season. The division is still theirs to lose, but the path to the top seed in the AFC just got a little steeper. The Denver Broncos clinched their playoff spot on Sunday, adding another layer of pressure to the Patriots' final stretch.
And it doesn’t get any easier - next up is a primetime showdown with the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football. The Patriots are still in control of their fate, but they’ll need a full 60-minute effort to stay there.