University of Kwazulu-Natal

Instant Analysis Of Patriots Stunning Bills In 23 20 Road Upset

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
instant analysis of patriots stunning bills in 23 20 road upset

The New England Patriots are no longer the punching bag team of the AFC East division. After spending the last five years being treated as little brother to the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots rolled into Orchard Park and punched big brother in the mouth. The game had everything—great defense, highlight reel offensive plays, big momentum swings and the crowning of a new primetime star who went toe-to-toe with the reigning NFL MVP. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed a game-winning drive to knock off Josh Allen and the Bills in a 23-20 win on the road at Orchard Park. It was a signature win for the second-year signal-caller against arguably the best team in the league. Four-time Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs had a massive performance in his return to Buffalo by hauling in 10 receptions for 146 yards in the game.

Emotions were clearly high for Diggs, who served as Allen's No. 1 receiver for the four years he spent in Buffalo. However, this time, he arrived as a member of the rival Patriots and helped Maye hand Allen his first loss of the season. The Patriots' defense deserves a lot of credit for the win as well. They forced three turnovers, including a Marcus Jones interception on Allen. The unit also held Bills running back James Cook to 49 yards rushing.

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez came up big late in the game by forcing two incompletions on back-to-back pass attempts by Allen. Observations from Sunday night’s AFC East upset at Highmark Stadium. The Buffalo Bills had won 14 consecutive home games in the regular season. That wasn’t lost on head coach Mike Vrabel and the AFC East visitors. The New England Patriots pulled off a 23-20 upset Sunday night at Highmark Stadium, where things were tied with two minutes left to play. Here’s a glance back on the 8:20 p.m.

ET kickoff as different sides of the division move forward with 4-1 and 3-2 records. Sunday in Orchard Park marked the first NFL primetime start for Drake Maye. The 23-year-old captain under center looked like himself under the lights. He completed 22-of-30 passes for 273 yards with no touchdowns and no turnovers against the Bills. Phil Perry, Tom E. Curran and Ted Johnson share instant reaction to the Patriots’ gutsy 23-20 win over the Bills

Moral victory? Check. Actual victory? Check. The New England Patriots walked into a hostile Highmark Stadium and delivered signature win on Sunday Night Football, upsetting the previously-unbeaten Buffalo Bills in a 23-20 thriller. The win moves the Patriots to 3-2, but more importantly, it sends a message to the rest of the NFL that there's a legitimate football team in New England after back-to-back 4-13 seasons.

Subscribe to NBC Sports Boston's podcast network to hear our Insiders bring you the latest insights on your favorite teams! Instant analysis from the Patriots’ 23-20 win over the Bills: ⋅ Coach Mike Vrabel didn’t shy away from the enormity of divisional showdown on Sunday Night Football. He addressed it in the post-game locker room with the players last Sunday after they beat the Panthers. During the week, he told the media the game was important for the Patriots to take the next step. And according to Drake Maye, he told his players that the Bills, winners of five straight AFC East titles, are “where we want to be.”

Over three hours Sunday night, the Patriots made their statement. They have arrived. The Patriots didn’t just improve to 3-2 with the win. They established themselves as a legitimate, playoff-caliber outfit just five games into Vrabel’s tenure. “Really proud of the whole team for being able to come into this road environment,” he said. “Those players took advantage of that opportunity and beat a really good football team that hasn’t lost here much.”

Phil Perry, Tom E. Curran and Ted Johnson share instant reaction to the Patriots’ gutsy 23-20 win over the Bills The New England Patriots walked into Highmark Stadium as heavy underdogs against the undefeated Buffalo Bills, but emerged with a stunning 23-20 upset win on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. This game had it all, from a low-scoring, fumble-filled first half to Drake Maye and Josh Allen trading touchdown drives in a high-scoring second half. But the Patriots got the last laugh. After Matt Prater’s game-tying field goal with 2:17 remaining, Drake Maye led New England's offense 37 yards in seven plays to set up Andy Borregales' 52-yard, go-ahead field goal with 15 seconds remaining.

Check out our live blog below for a full game recap with postgame analysis and more: The Patriots and Bills battled back and forth in front of a national audience on Sunday night, with the tied game coming down to a final drive. Drake Maye (22-of-30, 273 yards) found his clutch, completing two big passes along the way to help set up Andy Borregales' game-winning 52-yard field goal as the Pats knocked off their unbeaten divisional rivals,... It was a turnover and penalty marred first half, with neither team able to score a touchdown, but in the second half things broke open with four touchdown scores on the first five possessions. Maye was outstanding, while connecting with Stefon Diggs on 10 receptions for 146 yards. It was a huge win for the Patriots, who stacked their second victory in a row and look to be finding their stride and identity under new head coach Mike Vrabel.

The two divisional rivals were feeling both sloppy early, combining for multiple turnovers in the first quarter. After an opening Patriots punt, the Bills would have an uncharacteristic first possession, failing to score a touchdown on their first drive for the first time all season long, but that wasn't the worst... Josh Allen mishandled a handoff and the ball landed on the ground, recovered by Patriots rookie defensive lineman Josh Farmer. It was only Buffalo's second turnover of the season and set the Patriots up just over midfield. But Maye and the offense couldn't capitalize on the takeaway, with Rhamondre Stevenson fumbling for the third time this season on the very first play of the drive, handing the ball right back to...

People Also Search

The New England Patriots Are No Longer The Punching Bag

The New England Patriots are no longer the punching bag team of the AFC East division. After spending the last five years being treated as little brother to the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots rolled into Orchard Park and punched big brother in the mouth. The game had everything—great defense, highlight reel offensive plays, big momentum swings and the crowning of a new primetime star who went toe-to-...

Emotions Were Clearly High For Diggs, Who Served As Allen's

Emotions were clearly high for Diggs, who served as Allen's No. 1 receiver for the four years he spent in Buffalo. However, this time, he arrived as a member of the rival Patriots and helped Maye hand Allen his first loss of the season. The Patriots' defense deserves a lot of credit for the win as well. They forced three turnovers, including a Marcus Jones interception on Allen. The unit also held...

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez Came Up Big Late In The Game

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez came up big late in the game by forcing two incompletions on back-to-back pass attempts by Allen. Observations from Sunday night’s AFC East upset at Highmark Stadium. The Buffalo Bills had won 14 consecutive home games in the regular season. That wasn’t lost on head coach Mike Vrabel and the AFC East visitors. The New England Patriots pulled off a 23-20 upset Sunday n...

ET Kickoff As Different Sides Of The Division Move Forward

ET kickoff as different sides of the division move forward with 4-1 and 3-2 records. Sunday in Orchard Park marked the first NFL primetime start for Drake Maye. The 23-year-old captain under center looked like himself under the lights. He completed 22-of-30 passes for 273 yards with no touchdowns and no turnovers against the Bills. Phil Perry, Tom E. Curran and Ted Johnson share instant reaction t...

Moral Victory? Check. Actual Victory? Check. The New England Patriots

Moral victory? Check. Actual victory? Check. The New England Patriots walked into a hostile Highmark Stadium and delivered signature win on Sunday Night Football, upsetting the previously-unbeaten Buffalo Bills in a 23-20 thriller. The win moves the Patriots to 3-2, but more importantly, it sends a message to the rest of the NFL that there's a legitimate football team in New England after back-to-...