ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Drake Maye led the Patriots on a 37-yard drive to set up rookie Andy Borregales' 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds left, and New England beat the Buffalo Bills 23-20 on Sunday night, leaving the NFL without an undefeated team five weeks into the season.
Stefon Diggs had 10 catches for 146 yards for the Patriots (3-2) in his first game at Buffalo since the Bills traded him to Houston in April of 2024. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed
for two touchdowns, the second one set up by Diggs' 32-yard reception.
Maye went 22 of 30 for 273 yards, and no throw was more impressive than when he began the final drive by eluding the grasp of Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and getting off a 12-yard completion to Diggs.
The Patriots won back-to-back games for the first time since winning three in a row midway through the 2022 season. Under first-year coach Mike Vrabel, New England has a winning record through five games for the first time since opening the 2019 season 8-0.
And the Patriots tightened the AFC East race by moving within one game of the five-time defending division champion Bills (4-1).
Buffalo and Philadelphia entered the day as the NFL's last unbeaten teams. The Eagles lost to visiting Denver. It's the first time since 2014 and seventh time since the 1970 merger that no team has started 5-0.
The Bills had three turnovers, two by Allen.
Last season's MVP finished 22 of 31 for 253 yards and threw touchdown passes to Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman. Allen was credited with a lost fumble at midfield on a poor handoff exchange with tight end Dawson Knox on Buffalo’s opening drive.
He was intercepted by Marcus Jones at New England’s 10 with Buffalo trailing 13-10 in the third quarter. On second-and-13, Allen forced a pass over the middle intended for Khalil Shakir.
The Patriots turned the interception into a 20-10 lead with 12:10 remaining when Stevenson scored on a 7-yard run on a pitch to the left.
Buffalo's regular-season home winning streak ended at 14, one short of a franchise record. The Bills' last home defeat was 24-22 to Denver on Nov. 13, 2023.
The Bills wore their all-white “Cold Front” rivalry uniforms, and their “Bring the Storm” rally towel-waving fans responded by also mostly wearing white on a balmy night with a game-time temperature of 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 Celsius).
Patriots: RB Antonio Gibson did not return after sustaining a knee injury while returning a kickoff six minutes into the second quarter.
Bills: C Connor McGovern returned after having tests on his hand. LB Matt Milano did not return after aggravating a pectoral injury that forced him to miss the previous two games. DT Ed Oliver missed his fourth straight game with a sprained ankle.
Patriots: Continue a three-game road swing at New Orleans next Sunday.
Bills: Play at Atlanta in a Monday night game on Oct. 13.
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