Maye rallies Patriots past Bills with late touchdown

Maye’s last answer

Drake Maye hit a 23-yard touchdown with 1:50 left Sunday, October 4, lifting the New England Patriots over the Buffalo Bills 29-26 at Highmark Stadium.

Maye completed 22 of 37 passes for 269 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, then added 53 rushing yards on eight carries. His last throw for a score came after Buffalo had surged ahead on Josh Allen’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman; Maye’s two-point pass to Rhamondre Stevenson made it 29-26.

The Patriots had led 21-17 entering the fourth quarter, watched Buffalo take a 26-21 edge, and still found the game’s defining response. New England is 2-2 after handing the Bills their first loss, dropping Buffalo to 3-1.

The turns that held up

New England set its early tone with a 12-play, 97-yard drive that consumed 6:28 and ended on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Buffalo answered with James Cook III’s 8-yard touchdown run, then moved in front before halftime when Allen scored on a 2-yard run and Buffalo added a 27-yard field goal with two seconds remaining.

Maye reclaimed the lead in the third quarter with a 2-yard touchdown pass after New England opened the half with a long march. Buffalo’s 38-yard field goal narrowed it, and Coleman’s 34-yard score with 4:27 remaining gave the Bills their first fourth-quarter lead, though the failed two-point attempt left New England within a field goal.

The Patriots’ winning series went eight plays for 73 yards in 2:31. After Maye’s deep touchdown and conversion swung win probability from 33% to 65%, Buffalo’s final possession ended with an interception.

EPA measures expected points added on each play. Maye’s passing game produced 0.46 EPA per play, supplying the explosive answers that Buffalo could not stop late, while New England posted a 51% success rate—the share of plays with positive EPA—to Buffalo’s 49%. Allen finished 23 of 33 for 253 yards, a touchdown and an interception; Coleman caught six passes for 116 yards and the late score, while Cook ran 12 times for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Hunter Henry gave Maye a steady target with five catches for 62 yards, and Robert Spillane led New England with eight tackles. Dorian Williams had eight tackles for Buffalo. The Patriots host the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, October 11, while the 3-1 Bills visit the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, October 12.