The AFC East is not settled.
Behind two rushing touchdowns from MVP candidate Drake Maye, the New England Patriots sprinted out to a 21-0 lead over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday with a chance to clinch the division. But Josh Allen led the Bills on five consecutive touchdown drives to overcome a poor defensive effort and spark Buffalo to a stunning, 35-31 win.
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The win snapped a 10-game win streak for the Patriots, who were in position to clinch the AFC East with a win. Instead, the Patriots drop to 11-3 and ceded ground in the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs to the Denver Broncos. And the Bills improve to 10-4 to remain in the race for the division.
It added up to a stunning collapse for a Patriots team that looked well on its way to celebrating its first division title since the Tom Brady era. Instead, they’re left to parse a collapse that allowed the Bills to score 28 second-half points.
Buffalo’s furious comeback
Buffalo looked down and out after three first-half possessions produced 29 yards, two three-and-outs, three punts and a 21-0 hole. But Buffalo scored a touchdown on its final possession of the first half and went into halftime with a 24-7 deficit.
Josh Allen and the Bills are still alive in the race for the AFC East.
(Sarah Stier via Getty Images)
Then Allen and the Bills ran roughshod in the second half. Buffalo scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the third quarter, and its defense came up with an interception of Maye with New England’s lead whittled down to 24-21.
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From there, Allen delivered again, this time with a touchdown pass to Dawson Knox to give the Bills their first lead of the game at 28-24 early in the fourth quarter.
The Patriots responded with a quick-hit touchdown to retake the lead just 14 seconds later. But the Bills responded again with their fifth consecutive touchdown drive, this time with a James Cook run to retake the lead at 35-31.
Maye eventually had a chance to fortify his MVP case and clinch the division with the ball back in the final 2:43. But Buffalo’s defense forced a turnover on downs to regain possession for its offense and secure the victory when Maye’s pass on fourth-and-5 fell incomplete.
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Patriots, Drake Maye miss big opportunity
With Allen fresh off his first MVP award, the Bills entered the season as clear favorites to win the division and compete for the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory. But a porous defense that ranks 28th against the run opened the door for the Patriots to contend.
And through 13 games, the Patriots burst through that door to take control of the division behind a breakout season from Maye, who’s emerged in a two-way race with Matthew Stafford for MVP. Sunday provided the Patriots with a chance for an AFC East coronation and an MVP moment for Maye.
Instead, they’re left to fight down the stretch of the season with three games to play and the division and No. 1 seed in the AFC up for grabs.
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Maye started strong with this third and fourth touchdown runs of the season to stake New England to a 14-0 lead. Then rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson broke free for a 52-yard run for the third Patriots touchdown of the day.
Then New England’s offense went cold. The next three possessions produced a field goal, a punt and an interception by Maye on a deep downfield throw on third down. The interception was essentially an arm punt, but it set the Bills up for their go-ahead touchdown.
Henderson put the Patriots up once more at 31-28 with another big run, this time for 65 yards on the first play of a possession. But New England’s defense failed to keep the Bills out of the end zone for a fifth straight possession.
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Maye finished the day without a touchdown throw. He completed 14 of 23 passes for 155 yards with 1 interception in addition to 43 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. Allen countered by completing 19 of 28 passes for 193 yards with 3 touchdowns and no turnovers. Cook ran for 107 yards and tallied 3 total touchdowns.
The MVP for Maye and the No. 1 seed for the Patriots are still very much in play. But they’ll need to close strong in three remaining games against the Ravens, Dolphins and Jets to secure either outcome. And they’ll need to fight off the Bills for the AFC East in the process.
