The New England Patriots are back from their bye and welcoming the Buffalo Bills to a snowy Gillette Stadium in Week 15.
As Mike Vrabel stated this week, it’s a championship week for his Patriots: a win would clinch the team its first AFC East title since 2019. It will be no easy task, however, as reigning MVP Josh Allen, James Cook and one of the league’s best run games stands on the other side.
Follow along live from Gillette Stadium throughout Sunday.
Live score: Patriots 14 : 0 Bills
Sunday, Dec. 14, 1 p.m. ET | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA | Broadcast information | Inactives | Game day roster
First Quarter
The Bills won the toss and deferred, putting Drake Maye and the Patriots offense on the field first. The first play from scrimmage saw a handoff to Rhamondre Stevenson and the back break free up the middle for 15 yards. Then facing a 3rd-and-7, Maye perfectly placed a fade to Kayshon Boutte down the right sideline for 30 yards to quickly have New England in Buffalo territory. Quickly getting on the ball to avoid a challenge, New England moved the chains again on the ground to set up a goal-to-go situation. One play later, Drake Maye kept a zone read and found the end zone from eight yards out. [Patriots 7 : 0 Bills]
A 45-yard kick return by Ray Davis started the Bills first drive on the other side of the 50-yard line. A first-down deep completion to Brandin Cooks — that would’ve found Buffalo in the red zone — was overturned out of bounds which eventually set up an opening 3rd-and-5, where Allen’s pass was over an open Dalton Kincaid forcing a punt.
New England’s next drive started backed up at their own 12-yard line. After picking up an opening first-down on the ground, the unit faced a 3rd-and-1 where a pass from Maye to Mack Hollins fell incomplete.
Buffalo’s second drive of the afternoon began with a 3rd-and-10 following a false start, which led to New England bringing pressure and bringing Allen down for a sack.
Starting at midfield, Maye shrugged off a Bills defender in the backfield to avoid a sack and broke free for a 17-yard gain. A throw-back from Maye to Stevenson back to Maye then had the QB find Mack Hollins to move things into the red zone. Then set up in a goal-to-go situation, a second-down drop back saw the seas split and Maye break through the offensive line with his legs for a touchdown. [Patriots 14 : 0 Bills]
