Bills 38, Patriots 30: Buffalo survives Maye’s last-second heave to hold off New England

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - On a night that had all the feel of an early-season classic, the Buffalo Bills held on for a thrilling 38-30 win over the New England Patriots, stopping rookie quarterback Drake Maye just four yards short of a miracle finish.

A Game of Momentum Swings

The Patriots came out firing, with Maye tossing two first-quarter touchdowns - a 6-yard strike to Hunter Henry and another to Antonio Gibson - to stun the home crowd and grab a 14-0 lead.

Buffalo, however, flipped the script in the second quarter. James Cook III broke free for a stunning 57-yard touchdown run, and Josh Allen added both a short rushing score and a 13-yard TD pass to Elijah Moore. In less than nine minutes, the Bills had rattled off 21 unanswered points, seizing momentum before halftime.

"We knew we had to respond," Allen said. "They punched us early, but we've got guys who thrive when it gets tough."

Patriots Fight Back

After Allen and Moore connected again in the third, Buffalo stretched its lead to 28-17. But Maye wouldn't go away quietly. He found Stefon Diggs on a 64-yard bomb and later hit DeMario Douglas for a 19-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 35-30 with under eight minutes to play.

"Every time we thought we had them, Maye made a play," said Bills linebacker Matt Milano. "That kid's going to be a problem in this league."

A late Tyler Bass field goal gave Buffalo an eight-point cushion, but New England marched right back inside the red zone in the final minute.

The Defining Play

On 4th-and-Goal from the Buffalo 4, Maye rolled to his right, stopped, and floated a desperate pass across his body to the back corner. Rookie receiver Kayshon Boutte leapt high and briefly secured the ball. But just as he prepared to drag his toes, safety Cole Bishop delivered a perfectly timed hit, jarring the ball free and preserving the win.

"I thought I had it," Boutte admitted. "That's the one you dream of - but Bishop made a heck of a play."

Bishop, calm in the locker room afterward, simply said: "I just knew I had to finish. If I don't get there, we're probably talking about overtime."

Numbers That Mattered

Allen finished 23 of 35 for 306 yards and three touchdowns, plus 50 rushing yards and a score. Moore was his top target, hauling in seven passes for 152 yards and two TDs. Cook added 101 yards on the ground, including his long touchdown burst.

Maye matched Allen throw for throw, posting 337 yards and four touchdowns on 28 of 42 passing. Diggs led all Patriots receivers with 117 yards and a long score, while Henry and Douglas each found the end zone.

Despite allowing nearly 600 yards of offense, New England's defense produced two interceptions, including one from Carlton Davis III.

"Look, we fought like hell," Patriots coach said afterward. "But in this league, close doesn't count. We'll learn from it."

Up Next

The Bills will face a huge test in Week 6 when they travel south to meet the unbeaten Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, the Patriots hit the road to take on the New Orleans Saints in a key interconference matchup.