News
Patriots 37, Bills 22
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The New England Patriots claimed sole possession of first place in the AFC East on Sunday with a 37-22 win over the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passed for 361 yards with four touchdowns and improved to 23-2 against the Bills in his career. It was Brady’s 60th career game with more than 300 yards passing.
Wide receiver Brandon LaFell caught two touchdown passes and Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals of more than 40 yards for the Patriots (4-2), who have won two straight.
The Bills (3-3) were playing their first game since new owners Terry and Kim Pegula took control of the franchise earlier in the week.
Buffalo quarterback Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Brady iced the game with a 56-yard touchdown pass to LaFell that put the Patriots up by two touchdowns with 2:49 remaining in the game.
Buffalo cut New England’s lead in half with less than six minutes to play when Orton threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Hogan, then connected with wide receiver Robert Woods on a two-point conversion pass. Orton completed a 25-yard pass to Woods on fourth down to extend the eight-play, 80-yard drive.
Brady completed all four of his passes on a 12-play, 80-yard drive that spanned 6:08 of the fourth quarter and put the Patriots up 30-14 on his 17-yard touchdown pass to LaFell with 8:42 left in the game.
The Patriots went up 23-14 on Gostkowski’s 40-yard field goal with 3:08 left in the third quarter, but lost starting running back Stevan Ridley to a knee injury on the drive.
Bills running back Fred Jackson scored on a 1-yard plunge to cut the Patriots lead to 20-14 with 5:33 left in the third quarter. Orton completed all four of his passes for 61 yards on the 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive.
Wide receiver Brian Tyms caught his first career touchdown on a 43-yard bomb from Brady that gave the Patriots a 20-7 lead on the opening drive of the second half.
The Bills turned the ball over three times in the first half, leading to 13 Patriots points.
Gostkowski gave the Patriots a 13-7 lead with his 53-yard field goal on the final play of the first half. Defensive end Zach Moore recovered a fumble by Bills running back C.J. Spiller that gave the Patriots the ball at the Buffalo 42. Safety Devin McCourty forced the fumble.
Gostkowski made a 43-yard field goal with 1:43 left in the first half to put the Patriots in front 10-7. Defensive end Chandler Jones forced and recovered a fumble on a sack to give New England the ball at the Buffalo 24 just before the two-minute warning.
Orton connected with wide receiver Robert Woods on a 7-yard slant pass that tied the game at 7-7 at 3:52 of the second quarter. Tight end Scott Chandler made two third-down receptions on the 10-play, 61-yard drive.
Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo was carted off the field with a knee injury during the Bills’ scoring drive. New England was already without one starting linebacker, Don’t’a Hightower, who missed his second straight game with a knee injury.
Brady hit tight end Tim Wright on a 1-yard play-action pass to give New England a 7-0 lead with 13:04 left in the second quarter. A 30-yard pass interference penalty on Bills safety Duke Williams gave the Patriots a first-and-goal at the 1. The five-play, 61-yard drive came after the game’s first turnover, an interception by linebacker Jamie Collins.
Gostkowski missed a 36-yard field goal that would have put the Patriots ahead late in the first quarter. Gostkowski had made a field goal from 31 yards out that was nullified by a false start penalty.
NOTES: The Pegula family, including Terry, Kim, their five children and dog, Sydney, were introduced to a rousing standing ovation during a pregame ceremony. … Goo Goo Dolls lead singer Johnny Reznick, a Buffalo native, sang the national anthem. … Patriots LG Dan Connolly left the game in the second quarter with a head injury and did not return. … Bills S Aaron Williams (wrist) was inactive and replaced in the starting lineup by CB Corey Graham. WR Mike Williams, a starter the first four weeks, was a healthy scratch.
News
Buccaneers admit mistake, boot Aguayo
Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk
Powered by WPeMatico
News
Did Bucs put too much pressure on Aguayo?
Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk
Powered by WPeMatico
News
Broncos holding their breath on Derek Wolfe
Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk
Powered by WPeMatico