Drake Maye threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 54 yards on eight carries, guiding the New England Patriots to a victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Maye Leads 73-Yard Drive to Win Game
Trailing 26-21 with under five minutes remaining, Maye engineered a decisive 73-yard offensive march. He completed four passes for 68 yards on the possession, culminating in a 23-yard touchdown pass to Efton Chism, who made a one-handed grab in the end zone. According to The Boston Globe, Maye iced the contest moments later with a 12-yard pass to tight end Hunter Henry in the flat, allowing New England to run out the clock. The final sequence redeemed an otherwise erratic day that included two turnovers and a 59 percent completion rate.
TVA Sports noted that prior to the matchup, Maye’s position as the foundation of the franchise was under heavy scrutiny following a brutal stretch. Across his previous seven starts, including four playoff games in January 2026, the young quarterback accumulated 16 turnovers while throwing just one touchdown against six interceptions over his first three games of the regular season. The victory stabilizes his confidence and keeps the team competitive within the division.
Romeo Doubs and Efton Chism Deliver Crucial Contributions
Wide receiver Romeo Doubs turned his quiet start to the season around with six catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns. The Boston Globe reported that Doubs converted two fourth-down catches in the first half to extend scoring drives and hauled in a one-handed fade grab in the corner of the end zone, followed by a 12-yard score in the second half. Efton Chism added the game-winning touchdown catch on his lone reception of the drive.
The Patriots opened the game with a statement 97-yard touchdown drive. Despite trailing 17-14 at halftime following a lost fumble by Maye and a late interception off a deflected pass to Doubs, New England controlled the flow against a Buffalo defense that entered the contest undefeated.
Patriots Defense Holds Firm Without Star Contributors
Playing without starting cornerback Christian Gonzalez and defensive lineman Christian Barmore, the New England defense limited Buffalo to 340 total yards. The Boston Globe detailed how the unit neutralized Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid, holding him to one catch for seven yards, and bottled up running back James Cook for most of the afternoon before he found running room in the fourth quarter. The defense sealed the win when Maye’s late-game heroics were backed by an interception off Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Patriots Beat Buffalo to Stay Close in AFC East
A defeat would have relegated the Patriots three games behind Buffalo in the AFC East standings. Instead, head coach Mike Vrabel’s squad responded to a blowout loss against Jacksonville from the previous week by taking down their primary division rival. Buffalo missed opportunities to capitalize on Maye’s miscues, generating just three points off two turnovers as they fell short in the closing minutes.
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