University of Kwazulu-Natal

Takeaways As Drake Maye Patriots Upset Bills 23 20 On Sunday Msn

Bonisiwe Shabane
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takeaways as drake maye patriots upset bills 23 20 on sunday msn

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. They went into Orchard Park on Sunday night, and were able to get a primetime win over the undefeated Buffalo Bills, winning 23-20. There is SO much to talk about, so let's get straight into the takeaways: The Patriots needed Drake Maye to step up in his first primetime game as a starter, and the second-year quarterback delivered in a huge way. Maye started the game a little shaky, but he came out in the second half looking confident and composed in the pocket, making play after play that helped the team get down the field... Maye finished the game going 22-for-30, throwing for 273 yards, along with three carries for 12 yards.

And with that, he had everyone talking about this impressive throw to Stefon Diggs as he was being pulled down to the ground on the team's game-winning drive. If you expected the Patriots to be a pushover in Buffalo, Sunday night got wild. Drake Maye, in just his second year, looked every bit the franchise quarterback the team hopes he’ll be. That winning drive late in the fourth? That’s the kind of moment that can shift an entire narrative—not just for Maye, but for the future of the Pats. Maye finished 22-of-30 for 273 yards and only missed one pass in the second half.

Big-time stuff, especially in front of a hostile Bills crowd, and in a game that saw him outduel Josh Allen late. That’s how you announce yourself in prime time. Stefon Diggs didn’t just show up—he put in his best game since 2022. Ten catches for 146 yards against the team that let him go, including multiple clutch grabs on third down. That’s great news if you like drama, and even better if you’re backing Diggs on props or fantasy. He was the clear go-to for Maye, moving the chains and popping the lid off Buffalo’s secondary.

The narrative coming in was all Bills, but this win turns up the heat on Buffalo. They had a chance to stay perfect and couldn’t close it out at home—even with Josh Allen playing catch-up and the defence sniffing out a Stevenson fumble early. Allen put up 253 yards, two touchdowns, and another 53 yards on the ground, but he kept the Pats alive with mistakes in the clutch. The Patriots, on the other hand, get a statement road win. They’re back in business at 3-2, and you can bet those markets for division and playoff odds just got interesting. The Saints are next, and you’ve got to like New England’s momentum there.

As for Buffalo, a Monday night bounce-back against the Falcons feels must-win now. 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: How about this for some Patriots magic? Drake Maye flashes MVP-level athleticism by staying on his feet long enough to hit Stefon Diggs despite a pass rusher hanging from his legs, then delivers a pinpoint dart to Kayshon Boutte along the... What a performance from Mike Vrabel's team on the road against a Super Bowl favorite. This one should have Pats fans celebrating all night.

Well, folks, we're back in a deadlock, and we have Josh Allen to thank for it. The Bills quarterback somehow manages to evade just about every Patriots defensive linemen on back-to-back plays, rolling right, drifting around and between rushers before launching two throws, one all the way out of the... Allen is fortunate he didn't suffer an injury or give the ball away while extending each play, but his supersized acrobatics follow enough movement by Joe Brady's unit to set up a game-tying 45-yard... The underrated tale of this matchup: A lack of discipline. We've seen some feisty defense from both sides, particularly New England, but with just a few minutes to play, the Bills and Patriots have combined for 18 penalties amounting to 173 penalty yards. That's not a small amount.

New England's last infraction helped stall Drake Maye and the offense on a three-and-out, providing Buffalo a chance to retake the lead in the closing minutes. Mike Vrabel wants a disciplined Patriots bunch, but a late hit by defensive tackle Joshua Farmer on James Cook gifts the Bills 15 yards and a first down in scoring range. Josh Allen does the rest from there, trucking through contact for a rushing first down of his own, then lacing a pass to Keon Coleman for a touchdown. We've still got almost a full quarter to play, and Diggs is up to 134 yards on nine catches. That easily leads both teams. Not only that, but the veteran is showcasing his trademark route-running and post-catch toughness on some highlight-reel grabs, including a long catch-and-run that puts New England right back in the red zone for another...

Safe to say Diggs arrived at Highmark Stadium motivated to put on a show. And most importantly, it has his new team on top, with Drake Maye and Co. going blow for blow with Josh Allen's Bills. 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... ORCHARD PARK - New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye officially welcomed himself to his team’s longstanding rivalry with the Buffalo Bills Sunday night, first during their 23-20 upset victory which will certainly open some... “It’s 8:20 in Orchard Park, in a great environment, playing the Buffalo Bills. Where else would you rather be?” Maye said with a smirk, taking an obvious shot at the Bills’ pre-game ritual where a former player leads the sellout crowd in the ‘Where would you rather... The Patriots sure seemed happy to be there, playing on Sunday Night Football with a chance to dethrone the NFL’s last undefeated team, plus end their 14-game regular-season home winning streak at Highmark Stadium. As for the Bills, no, they didn’t seem all that interested and it showed in an egregiously sloppy performance, one that featured 11 penalties for 90 yards and an uncharacteristic three turnovers.

“This is the NFL, right? It’s hard every week,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “I told the team, I said, usually we do what they did. So in doing so, we didn’t play our game tonight, and that’s frustrating. And this is a pivotal learning opportunity for us right here.” The Bills had a chance to open a gaping three-game lead in the AFC East, plus would have had a head-to-head tiebreaker over their nearest pursuer.

Instead, that nearest pursuer, the 3-2 Patriots are just a game back and they now hold the head–to-head advantage, at least until the teams meet again late in the season.

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