The Patriots had this one in their hands - until they didn’t.
After a dominant first half where New England built a 24-7 lead over the Bills, it looked like the Patriots were finally putting together a complete game. The offense was clicking, the defense was holding its own, and momentum was firmly on their side heading into the break.
But then came the second half - and with it, a collapse that’s becoming all too familiar in Foxborough.
Buffalo stormed back with 28 second-half points, flipping the script and handing the Patriots a 35-31 loss that stings not just because of the scoreboard, but because of how it all unraveled.
The Patriots' offense, which looked fluid and aggressive early on, hit a wall in the third and fourth quarters. Outside of a 65-yard touchdown burst from rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson - a bright spot in an otherwise frustrating half - New England couldn’t string together consistent drives when it mattered most.
Tight end Hunter Henry didn’t mince words when asked what went wrong after the game.
“Sustaining drives, picking up some third downs,” Henry said. “I had some penalties, put us behind the sticks, negative plays.
So, staying ahead of the chains. In the first half we were ahead of the chains a lot and didn’t have many third downs, and then it was just a different story in the second half.
You have to give them credit, they did some things, mixed it up and were able to execute it.”
Henry’s self-awareness was notable - he took responsibility for some of the mistakes that stalled drives. The veteran tight end finished with just one catch for 18 yards and was largely a non-factor in the passing game. But he wasn’t alone in the struggle.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye had a quiet outing, completing only 14 passes for 155 yards. It wasn’t just the numbers - it was the lack of rhythm.
After a promising first half, Maye and the offense couldn’t find that same tempo down the stretch. Whether it was pressure from the Bills’ defense, a lack of separation from receivers, or breakdowns in protection, the Patriots just couldn’t find answers when the game tightened up.
This was a game New England will look back on as one that got away. A 17-point lead at halftime in the NFL is supposed to mean something. But in this league, if you take your foot off the gas - even for a quarter - teams like the Bills will make you pay.
The Patriots showed flashes of what they can be. TreVeyon Henderson’s explosive run reminded everyone of the kind of playmaking this team has in its young core.
But flashes aren’t enough. Not in December.
Not against a division rival fighting for playoff seeding.
For New England, the challenge now is finishing games the way they start them. Because in this one, they gave Buffalo just enough daylight - and the Bills ran right through it.