University of Kwazulu-Natal

Drake Maye Patriots Upset Bills And Maybe Finally Sparked Rivalry

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
drake maye patriots upset bills and maybe finally sparked rivalry

For decades now, it’s seemed like the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have been ships passing in the void – which is typically what the AFC East is otherwise. But the Pats’ 23-20 upset win Sunday night in Orchard Park in front of a prime-time television audience offers fresh promise that these two franchises might finally be headed for a potentially entertaining collision... Second-year quarterback Drake Maye was nearly perfect after halftime, connecting on 13 of his 14 passes for 184 yards and putting New England in position for Andy Borregales’ game-winning field goal with 15 seconds... Seems Maye, who passed for 273 yards in sum Sunday, has learned a few things amid his growing personal relationship with Bills counterpart and reigning league MVP Josh Allen. “He's just the ultimate,” Maye said of Allen last week. “He wants the ball in his hands to win the game.

With the game on the line, the ball is in Josh's hand a lot, and he ends up making the play. That's what I've learned.” And if the former divisional rulers toppling the current ones wasn’t enough – though Buffalo (4-1) remains a game up on New England in the divisional table – there was also the return of... October 6, 2025 / 1:24 AM EDT / CBS Boston The New England Patriots sent a message to the NFL on national television Sunday night. A few messages, actually.

In upsetting the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium, defeating the last undefeated team in the league, the Patriots put the rest of the NFL on notice. Drake Maye had his breakout game for the Sunday Night Football crowd, showing the world that he has indeed arrived. Stefon Diggs showed everyone he still has what it takes to be a No. 1 receiver in the league. Mike Vrabel's defense showed it's going to continue to make plays in key moments, and New England's special teams showed it will keep making an impact as well. The New England Patriots are now 3-2 after becoming the first team to beat the Bills, 23-20, this season.

It wasn't perfect, as the Bills came back and made Maye and company make plays in the final minutes of the contest. But the Patriots made the plays they had to in those key and clutch moments. They did so on the road, against last year's reigning MVP and a team with a Super Bowl run on its mind. Sunday night is the biggest win for the Patriots since the days of Tom Brady. New England won in Buffalo for first time since 2021, knocking Bills from ranks of unbeaten. Despite being conjoined since 1960, Pats and Bills have never really been good simulataneously.

Next question: Are Pats ready to reclaim divisional throne and end Buffalo’s five-year rule? For decades now, it’s seemed like the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have been ships passing in the void – which is typically what the AFC East is otherwise. But the Pats’ 23-20 upset win Sunday night in Orchard Park in front of a prime-time television audience offers fresh promise that these two franchises might finally be headed for a potentially entertaining collision... Second-year quarterback Drake Maye was nearly perfect after halftime, connecting on 13 of his 14 passes for 184 yards and putting New England in position for Andy Borregales’ game-winning field goal with 15 seconds... Seems Maye, who passed for 273 yards in sum Sunday, has learned a few things amid his growing personal relationship with Bills counterpart and reigning league MVP Josh Allen. “He’s just the ultimate,” Maye said of Allen last week.

“He wants the ball in his hands to win the game. With the game on the line, the ball is in Josh’s hand a lot, and he ends up making the play. That’s what I’ve learned.” The New England Patriots entered their Week 5 Sunday Night Football matchup against the Buffalo as significant underdogs. Not only were the Patriots on the road, but they were also going up against the undefeated Bills and the reigning NFL MVP, Josh Allen. None of that fazed Drake Maye, however, who led New England to a shocking 23-20 upset in his first career primetime game.

The 23-year-old quarterback delivered one of the best performances of his young career thus far, completing 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and a 101.1 passer rating. He also added 12 yards on three rushing attempts. The big key for Maye was not making any major mistakes. He didn’t turn the ball over and played a clean game, hitting 73.3% of his passes and keeping the chains moving. Meanwhile, Allen turned the ball over twice via an interception and a fumble. He played well otherwise with over 300 total yards (passing and rushing) and two touchdown passes, but it wasn’t enough.

Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler gets his first win; the Panthers take down the Dolphins; and the Commanders got a big road win against the Chargers. In his first primetime game, the New England Patriots' QB1 walked into Highmark Stadium and led a 23-20 upset over the previously unbeaten Buffalo Bills and star QB Josh Allen. The 2024 No. 3 overall pick, Maye's game came down to a gutsy final drive that included multiple tough completions into traffic. Rookie kicker Andy Borregales then nailed a 52-yarder with 15 seconds to go, giving Buffalo almost no time at a legitimate final shot. Borregales from 52 for the lead with 15 seconds to go!NEvsBUF on NBCStream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/nyJzbGSgZg

The win moved New England to 3-2 as the franchise continues its hopeful upward trend in Maye's sophomore season, while Buffalo dropped to 4-1. The Patriots shocked the NFL world when they upset the Buffalo Bills in primetime on Sunday with a 23-20 win. Stefon Diggs torched his former team with 10 catches for 146 yards, Drake Maye set up the game-winning drive that ended with a 52-yard Andy Borregales field goal and the Patriots handed the Bills... It was a statement win for the Patriots, who now go into Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints with a slew of momentum on their side. Here’s what those around the NFL are saying about New England’s upset. “Patriots QB Drake Maye said the game would be a “great gauge and checkpoint to see what we’ve got and what we can handle” -- and they gave the five-time AFC East champs all...

Given this is just the fifth game of coach Mike Vrabel’s tenure, it reflects progress for his program. At the same time, the Bills were uncharacteristically sloppy -- some of which was caused by the Patriots, but it was also self-inflicted." The New England Patriots had fans reliving the good old days on Sunday night as the team upset the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots dealt the Bills their first loss of the season in a hard-fought 23-20 affair at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, N.Y. Patriots kicker Andres Borregales connected on a 52-yard field goal to give New England the lead in the closing seconds of the contest. The Patriots’ duo of Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs tormented Bills defenders all game long.

New England’s quarterback went 22/30 for 273 yards, arguably outplaying reigning MVP Josh Allen. Former Bills star Diggs was a one-man receiving corps, recording 10 catches for 146 yards. The tandem’s breakout performance had fans saying Maye and Diggs played like the 2025 version of Tom Brady and Randy Moss. Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs tonight. pic.twitter.com/o29c14i4k5 The New England Patriots went into Highmark Stadium and upset the Buffalo Bills in what could be the final Sunday Night Football game at the venue.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye led a game-winning drive that ended in a field goal to give New England a 23-20 win. The first half was sluggish offensively for both teams. Turnovers and penalties killed drives as the Patriots took a 6-3 lead into halftime. In the second half, things picked up. For New England, Maye made play after play and looked like the best player on the field. He finished with 273 yards passing and another 12 on the ground.

After the game, Maye used interesting wording in his post-game comments. “Where else would you rather be?” Maye said. “That was fun.” While the comment might seem innocuous, his choice of words was likely intentional. In 1986, former Bills head coach Marv Levy said the words to his team before a game. The phrase became a rallying cry for Bills fans and has stuck ever since.

People Also Search

For Decades Now, It’s Seemed Like The Buffalo Bills And

For decades now, it’s seemed like the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have been ships passing in the void – which is typically what the AFC East is otherwise. But the Pats’ 23-20 upset win Sunday night in Orchard Park in front of a prime-time television audience offers fresh promise that these two franchises might finally be headed for a potentially entertaining collision... Second-year qua...

With The Game On The Line, The Ball Is In

With the game on the line, the ball is in Josh's hand a lot, and he ends up making the play. That's what I've learned.” And if the former divisional rulers toppling the current ones wasn’t enough – though Buffalo (4-1) remains a game up on New England in the divisional table – there was also the return of... October 6, 2025 / 1:24 AM EDT / CBS Boston The New England Patriots sent a message to the ...

In Upsetting The Buffalo Bills At Highmark Stadium, Defeating The

In upsetting the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium, defeating the last undefeated team in the league, the Patriots put the rest of the NFL on notice. Drake Maye had his breakout game for the Sunday Night Football crowd, showing the world that he has indeed arrived. Stefon Diggs showed everyone he still has what it takes to be a No. 1 receiver in the league. Mike Vrabel's defense showed it's going ...

It Wasn't Perfect, As The Bills Came Back And Made

It wasn't perfect, as the Bills came back and made Maye and company make plays in the final minutes of the contest. But the Patriots made the plays they had to in those key and clutch moments. They did so on the road, against last year's reigning MVP and a team with a Super Bowl run on its mind. Sunday night is the biggest win for the Patriots since the days of Tom Brady. New England won in Buffal...

Next Question: Are Pats Ready To Reclaim Divisional Throne And

Next question: Are Pats ready to reclaim divisional throne and end Buffalo’s five-year rule? For decades now, it’s seemed like the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have been ships passing in the void – which is typically what the AFC East is otherwise. But the Pats’ 23-20 upset win Sunday night in Orchard Park in front of a prime-time television audience offers fresh promise that these two f...