Takeaways Patriots First Signature Win In Years 23 20 Upset Over Bills

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 4:11 AM

takeaways patriots first signature win in years 23 20 upset over bills

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. 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 New England Patriots have put the rest of the NFL on notice. By defeating the Buffalo Bills 23-20 in Week 5 at Highmark Stadium, the Pats conquered the “last of the unbeatens.” In the process, they not only moved above .500 on the 2025 NFL season,... With their prime time victory over the defending AFC East champions, the Patriots have proven that they are a formidable force within the NFL. Still, with their increased prowess will come the responsibility of playing to that level and beyond for each remaining week.

In that vein, here is a look at five key takeaways from the Patriots monstrous win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 5. Maye entered Week 5 set to face a Buffalo defense which ranked first in the league in passing defense — allowing a stingy 125.8 passing yards per game. Still, Maye had made notable strides with improving his footwork, reading opposing defenses and tempering his on-field aggression. He put his abilities on full display in prime time against the Bills, completing 22-of-30 for 273 yards. Still, it was Maye’s composure under pressure and late-game leadership that allowed him to make plays down the stretch. His seven-play, 37-yard game-winning drive set up rookie kicker Andy Borregales 52-yard field goal, putting the Pats on top for good in Week 5.

In total, Maye led five scoring drives for New England against the Bills. All the while, the Pats leaned on their second-year quarterback as he delivered on a national stage. Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images After blowing out the Carolina Panthers last week, the New England Patriots' next opponent found them on the other end of the NFL spectrum this Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills. Billed as a measuring-stick game for this young New England program under head coach Mike Vrabel the Patriots did more than measure up.

Instead the Patriots walked out of Buffalo with a 23-20 win after being more than a touchdown underdog. With that, the Patriots are over .500 for the first time beyond Week 1 since December of 2022. What worked for the Patriots to pull off the upset? While this was a measuring-stick game, one individual in particular stood out. We'll start there with this week's takeaways... While this was a measuring-stick game for the Patriots as a whole, that can specifically be said about second-year quarterback Drake Maye as well.

Throughout the week Maye drew comparisons to Bills quarterback Josh Allen, and then had to go toe-to-toe with the reigning MVP. Orchard Park, NY – The Patriots have their first signature win under head coach Mike Vrabel, an epic 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night. Where do we begin? First of all, what a freaking football game. That's the type of game we want to see the Patriots playing. Primetime.

Under the lights. On the road against a division opponent with the whole NFL world watching. Delivering a win in that atmosphere is a massive testament to the players and the program Vrabel is building in Foxboro. The Patriots team goal this week was to "take the next step" as a football team. New England already took advantage of bad football by routing the Panthers last week, but to be a true contender, the Patriots need to begin winning epic football games like we saw in Orchard... On Sunday night, the Patriots took that next step, snapping a 14-game home winning streak for the Bills to knock off the last undefeated team in the NFL.

Along with the first signature win for the Vrabel era, it was also a huge moment for second-year QB Drake Maye. Maye was absolutely masterful in the second half, completing his first game-winning drive as a pro with multiple big-time plays on the Patriots game-winning drive. Individually, Maye took the next step, delivering in the clutch in the first of hopefully many signature moments in his Patriots career. The Patriots have to build on their signature victory in Buffalo, but now is a time to relish in this win. It was a big night for the Patriots, with their second-year quarterback out-dueling the reigning MVP in his house and a massive vote of confidence for Vrabel. Tonight, the Pats are back.

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.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – The Patriots had their opportunities. In the first half, the defense had two turnovers from a talented Josh Allen-led offense. The Bills were also called for eight penalties compared to two for the Patriots in those first two frames. The Patriots’ offense was twice within scoring distance, at one point just 11 yards and later even 1 yard from the end zone. Drake Maye’s group even got to midfield five times in that half.

Despite all that, Mike Vrabel’s team led 6-3 at the half. Inside a loud Highmark Stadium, the Patriots had a chance to make an even louder statement against the reigning MVP and the AFC East kings. This was the type of matchup where a typical Patriots team would blow it - and the signs were there with several missed opportunities in the first half. Phil Perry, Tom E. Curran and Ted Johnson share instant reaction to the Patriots’ gutsy 23-20 win over the Bills In his 17th career start, ironically the exact mark of a full season, the Patriots quarterback earned his first signature win.

Maye's five career wins prior to the 23-20 victory against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night pale in comparison to his first primetime start. Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. "I would say it's an even bigger moment for Drake Maye," Patriots insider Phil Perry said on Patriots Postgame Live following the Week 5 verdict. "You get the ball with two minutes left. It's a tie game against a team that everybody thinks is going to the Super Bowl and you make two special throws, in my opinion." Maye and the offense took the field with 2:12 remaining in a tie game and proceeded to lead a crunch-time scoring drive, as the Patriots gained 37 yards on seven plays before rookie Andy...

Takeaways Patriots First Signature Win In Years 23 20 Upset Over Bills

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