With just over eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, the New England Patriots were clinging to a three-point lead and looked poised to deliver a statement win over the Buffalo Bills. Momentum had shifted their way-or so it seemed. Then came a moment that flipped the script.
On a critical third-and-4 from midfield, Bills quarterback Josh Allen fired a pass to rookie wideout Keon Coleman. The ball bounced off Coleman’s shoulder pads and hit the turf.
In real time, it looked like a clean incompletion. Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis had tight coverage, briefly placing a hand on Coleman’s hip as the ball arrived.
The Patriots’ sideline erupted, believing they’d just forced a huge stop.
But then came the flag.
Carlton Davis was called for a defensive pass interference on this play pic.twitter.com/Ew8HIvFxmb
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) December 14, 2025
Late. Controversial. Game-changing.
The officials called Davis for defensive pass interference, a decision that left the Patriots stunned. Speaking after the game, Davis didn’t hold back his frustration-not necessarily with the call itself, but with the timing.
“You could see how late the flag came out,” Davis said. “If it’s a flag, throw it.
If it’s not, let us play. Just seeing how late it came in, I think we’re all thinking the same thing.”
That penalty kept Buffalo’s drive alive, and three plays later, James Cook punched in the go-ahead touchdown from 11 yards out. It was the final dagger in what became a 35-31 comeback win for the Bills-a game that saw New England surrender a 21-point first-half lead.
This one stung. Not just because of the call, but because of the context.
The Patriots were in control early, dominating both sides of the ball and building what should have been a comfortable cushion. But the Bills came out of halftime with a different energy, rattling off 21 unanswered points in the second half. And when the game came down to one of those razor-thin moments that define seasons, Buffalo capitalized.
Head coach Mike Vrabel pointed to penalties and missed chances as the key differences between the two halves. Davis echoed that sentiment, emphasizing just how small the margins are in a rivalry game with playoff implications.
“It’s frustrating. You know what’s on the line,” Davis said.
“This game is so close, and it comes down to a game of inches. At that moment, you’re either going to throw the flag or you’re not.
You don’t take 10 seconds to throw a flag.”
The loss didn’t just sting from a competitive standpoint-it had historical weight. Buffalo’s rally tied a franchise record for the largest road comeback, and it kept their AFC East hopes alive. For the Patriots, it was a missed opportunity to take control of the division and solidify their postseason positioning.
Now, with the regular season winding down and the playoff race tightening, New England finds itself in a familiar position: needing to regroup, clean up the small mistakes, and find a way to finish games. Because in a league where every inch, every call, and every moment matters, the margin for error is as thin as ever.