It's déjà vu, but in the best possible way.
The New England Patriots picked up a crucial victory against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon, defeating the division rivals 29-26. And they did so without two of their top defenders while also suffering a few key injuries during the game.
It was at this same time last year that the Patriots started 1-2, but they defeated the Bills to even it out and then went on a run that took them to the Super Bowl. While it's still too early to be thinking about what might happen in February, this was exactly the game Maye and really the entire team needed to regain some confidence and prove that they've still got it.
"It does get us back in the game," Vrabel said after the win.
So, let's get into some takeaways
from the Patriots' victory:
1. About Efton Time (and some Craig Woodson pun too)!
Efton Chism knew what was on the line and took every advantage of his opportunities. The Patriots wide receiver had a 19-yard grab to move the chains on the drive after Buffalo took the lead. But it was his touchdown that will be talked about for weeks to come as Chism jumped up and hauled in a nice ball from Drake Maye, bringing it in with one hand to give New England the lead once again.
"Nobody works harder," Vrabel said after the game of the second-year receiver. "Chism is literally in Todd Downing's office before 6 am every morning… His toughness. His routine. And it's really cool to see guys like that take advantage of their opportunities."
EFTON FREAKING CHISM pic.twitter.com/AC7NHxgoGt
— Sophie Weller (@sophieewellerr) October 4, 2026
However, the game certainly wasn't over, with the Patriots having to give Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills the ball back with plenty of time remaining. Yet, it was the defense that held strong, as they had mostly done all game, forcing a turnover when it mattered most. Edge defender Dre'Mont Jones rushed Josh Allen and nearly got to him, but the Bills quarterback was able to evade pressure. He then threw it away, where the Patriots had double coverage, and Craig Woodson jumped up to make the interception.
"I trust Craig with everything I've got," Vrabel explained. "I love his demeanour and I love the way he performs, and certainly his performance."
From there, the Patriots only needed one first down, which they got after Maye hit Hunter Henry. Victory formation followed after.
2. What a start for Drake Maye
The Patriots lost the toss, so it was Josh Allen and the Bills who elected to start with the ball, looking to gain an early lead. However, the defense quickly forced a three-and-out, meaning it was Maye and the offense with a key opportunity. They capitalized.
The 12-play, 97-yard drive that lasted 6:28 included a 16-yard scramble by Maye, as well as a 12-yard pass from him to rookie tight end Eli Raridon. He also hit Hunter Henry for 21 yards despite fumbling the snap, as well as an eight-yard completion to Mack Hollins. The Patriots showed their mindset, going for it on 4th down on the first drive, successfully converting with Maye hitting Romeo Doubs for 15 yards.
"When you play Josh Allen, you're going to have to be aggressive," Vrabel said of his decision to go for it on 4th down two times.
He then capped it off, hitting Doubs for a 14 yard touchdown, his first of two on the day.
3. But Drake Maye's turnover woes continue
In the second quarter, the Patriots had momentum going, starting the drive on their own 40-yard line, following a penalty for the kickoff not falling in the landing zone. Josh McDaniels pulled out some trickery, as well as some nice downhill running by Rhamondre Stevenson, but once again, when he came under pressure, Maye made a critical mistake.
After the pocket collapsed around him, with three different linemen applying pressure, the quarterback was strip-sacked and Buffalo recovered. However, they were saved by the defense, which forced the Bills off the field quickly after Joshua Palmer got behind Craig Woodson but dropped the deep bomb from Allen. It wouldn't have stood anyway as the Bills were called for a hold against Dre'Mont Jones, resulting in them punting.
He also had an interception later in the game, but an unlucky bounce was the cause of that one on a pass to Doubs.
"I told him that one's on me and to forget about it," Maye explained. "And he did just that - came back and made a couple of big plays."
4. And then he bounces back
Following the bad turnover, Maye was able to quickly shake it off and return to the field. He started with an interesting incomplete pass that the Bills initially thought was a fumble and returned for a touchdown (but don't worry, it was called back). Then, he hit Mack Hollins for a 26-yard gain, followed by a 10-yard rush by Rhamondre Stevenson. With some space, Maye took it for a 26-yard scramble two plays later that put them on the team's 1-yard line.
Stevenson capped it off, pushing the ball in for the one-yard touchdown, putting New England back ahead by seven points.
Maye finished the day going 22-of-37 for 269 passing yards and three passing touchdowns.
5. Some key defensive plays
On the Bills' opening drive, veteran safety Kevin Byard had a beautiful pass breakup on third down, forcing the Buffalo Bills to go three-and-out and punt. Then, Elijah Ponder added a nice moment of his own, beating Dion Dawkins along the edge to sack Allen.
To end the first half, the Patriots' offense went three-and-out following a Josh Allen touchdown. And after a 22-yard gain by Keon Coleman, Robert Spillane punched the ball out, and Elijah Ponder recovered. It looked like New England was going to get away with keeping the score tied or even getting into field goal position with the remaining 16 seconds. But the Patriots' luck turned after Maye was intercepted in a play that really wasn't his fault, with Romeo Doubs coughing the ball up and it bouncing in the air to Dee Alford, who returned it to the nine-yard line. They then kicked a field goal to take a three-point lead at the half.
In the third quarter, Gabe Jacas and Cory Durden came in with some nice pressure as the pocket collapsed around Josh Allen and almost led to a safety. However, Allen somehow managed to get the ball out, and it fell incomplete. There was some controversy about whether or not it should have been intentional grounding, but no flag was thrown.
In the fourth quarter, Marcus Jones made an impressive open-field tackle, stopping a screen at the line of scrimmage to bring up fourth down, forcing Tyler Bass to kick the field goal. This allowed the Patriots to maintain a one-point lead and get the ball back.
6. Romeo Doubs has a nice showing
After getting bailed out with the Bills called for holding following a third-down sack in the red zone, Maye capitalized, hitting Doubs in the back of the end zone. The receiver hauled the pass in with one hand over cornerback Maxwell Hairston for a three-yard touchdown, marking his second score of the day.
Maye's trust in Doubs has certainly grown, with the receiver also being on the other side of both of the Patriots' successful fourth-down conversions.
7. Run game and run defense delivers
The Patriots ran the ball well while also defending against it impressively. Starting on defense, it's no secret that Buffalo is a stacked team, with their quarterback as well as James Cook being able to generate a lot of movement with their legs. However, the Patriots prevented Cook from being too big of a factor, finishing with 12 carries for 75 yards. Allen had five carries, but only picked up four yards from them.
As for Stevenson and Henderson, this was certainly a big confidence boost for both players; Stevenson finished with 13 carries for 47 yards, while Henderson finished with 14 carries for 42 yards. While it may not seem like a lot on paper, they had some big runs at crucial moments that helped the Patriots get downfield. It's still not where they want it to be, but it was an improvement. And it helps when the quarterback adds an additional 54 rushing yards on eight carries.
8. Other notes
- Patriots Inactives: QB Behren Morton (emergency 3rd QB), OT Dametrious Crownover, TE Tanner Arkin, DT Christian Barmore (shoulder), CB Christian Gonzalez (shoulder), CB Channing Canada (hamstring)
- Reggie Gilliam, a former member of the Buffalo Bills, was the team's game-day captain at the new Highmark Stadium.
- Darius Muasau started the game at linebacker, while Cory Durden was at defensive tackle.
- Former Boston College and Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie was the Bills' legend of the game. Flutie played for Buffalo from 1998 to 2000.
- Gilliam left the game in the first half with an ankle injury and was listed as questionable to return. He came back in the game and served as a critical blocker on Stevenson's second quarter touchdown.
- Mike Vrabel was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the second quarter for yelling "that's a [expletive] terrible [expletive] call" after Marcus Jones was called for holding on third down.
- In the third quarter, it appeared as if Mack Hollins suffered a non-contact injury and hopped over to the sideline, but departed for the locker room. He was listed as questionable to return with a calf injury.
- Will Campbell was called for a bad holding penalty in the fourth quarter, erasing a Drake Maye scramble for the first down. The Patriots were then faced with 3rd-and-17 and couldn't get the first down, having to punt the ball, hanging onto a one point lead with just over six minutes remaining. That was his second penalty of the day.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 8 takeaways from Patriots' crucial and gritty 29-26 win over the Bills
