The Patriots had this one. Up 21-0 on the Bills, it looked like New England was about to put the AFC East on ice.
After edging Buffalo in their first meeting, a season sweep felt well within reach. Instead, Josh Allen did what elite quarterbacks do-he flipped the script.
The reigning MVP reminded everyone why he holds that title, engineering a comeback that turned a three-touchdown deficit into a 35-31 Bills win. Allen wasn’t just efficient-he was surgical.
He finished 19-of-28 for 193 yards and three touchdowns, and added 48 more on the ground, extending plays and keeping the Patriots’ defense guessing all afternoon. It was the kind of performance that doesn’t just win games-it steals them.
For New England, this one stings. The Patriots came out hot, but once the second half hit, the offense stalled and the defense couldn’t hold the line. What looked like a statement win turned into a gut punch, and now, the AFC East race is suddenly a lot tighter.
Still, not everyone is hitting the panic button. Longtime Patriots fan and analyst Bill Simmons offered a more measured take in the aftermath.
“The Pats are fine,” Simmons posted on X. “Played two crunch-time games with Buffalo and went 1-1.
Can still get the 2-seed. Williams and Campbell coming back in January.”
Simmons is talking about two key pieces missing from the Patriots’ lineup: pass rusher Milton Williams and rookie left tackle Will Campbell. Williams, when healthy, has been the team’s most disruptive force up front.
His ability to collapse the pocket and pressure opposing quarterbacks has been a major part of New England’s defensive identity. Campbell, meanwhile, stepped in as a rookie and quickly became the anchor of the offensive line-no small feat in this system.
Their return could be a game-changer down the stretch. But in the short term, the Patriots have to regroup.
Even with the loss, they still sit atop the division-but the margin for error is shrinking. Splitting the season series with Buffalo means they no longer hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Another slip-up could be the difference between a home playoff game and a wild-card road trip-or worse, missing the postseason altogether.
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. The Patriots still have to face the Ravens in Week 16, a matchup that could decide their playoff fate. The final two games-against the Jets and Browns-look more manageable on paper, but in December, nothing is guaranteed.
This loss wasn’t just a missed opportunity-it was a reminder of how quickly momentum can swing in the NFL. One minute you're cruising toward a division crown, the next you're in a dogfight to stay in the playoff picture.
The Patriots have the talent, and potentially reinforcements on the way. But with the postseason looming, there’s no room left for letdowns.