Patriots fail to make playoffs by losing to Bills, getting no help from Jets or Browns

BOSTON -- The Patriots' season is officially over.

By losing in Buffalo 35-23 on Sunday without getting help from the Browns and Jets, the Patriots came up short in their quest for the third and final wild card playoff spot in the AFC.

Finishing the year with an 8-9 record, the Patriots will be heading home for the winter instead of playing in the postseason next weekend.

Had the Browns beaten the Steelers and the Jets beaten the Dolphins, then the Patriots could have made the playoffs even at 8-9. But the Dolphins beat the Jets, 11-6, and the Steelers beat the Browns, 28-14, so neither game went the way the Patriots needed. The Dolphins secured that final AFC playoff spot with their win and the Patriots' loss.

In this one, the game began in storybook fashion, with Nyheim Hines following up an emotional pregame scene by returning the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown.

Trailing 7-0, the Patriots went three-and-out on their opening possession, but they did force a Buffalo punt on the following possession. Then the Patriots marched 74 yards on nine plays to tie the game at 7-7, with Jakobi Meyers making an impressive spinning catch in the back of the end zone while getting both toes down inbounds.

The Bills responded with a touchdown drive of their own though, driving 75 yards on 13 plays and converting three third downs along the way. Dawson Knox caught a 4-yard touchdown pass to cap that drive.

The Patriots fought back, though, with another long scoring drive. This one went 74 yards on nine plays and ended with a Mac Jones touchdown pass to DeVante Parker. Defensive back/punt returner/kick returner/offensive weapon Marcus Jones was on the field for that play, and he drew a fair amount of attention from the Buffalo defense, allowing Parker to find space in the back of the end zone.

It was Parker's first touchdown since Week 4 in Green Bay, and it tied the game at 14-14.

The Bills got into position to regain the lead before halftime, but on a third-and-10 at the New England 15, Josh Allen was pressured and let a pass fly into the middle of the field. Devin McCourty was able to easily intercept the pass and run it back out to the 33-yard line. The Patriots couldn't turn that turnover into points, as they gained possession with just 16 seconds left in the half, but taking the points off the board for Buffalo was nevertheless a significant play in the game.

The Patriots were driving toward points to open the second half, but Jones threw an interception on the same end of the field where Allen threw his pick to end the first half.

But the Patriots got it right back, with Jonathan Jones punching the ball free from Devin Singletary and Devin McCourty recovering the loose ball. 

The Patriots couldn't turn that turnover into a touchdown, but a short Nick Folk field goal gave the Patriots their first lead of the game at 17-14.

That lead was short-lived, though, as Nyheim Hines once again broke off a kick return for a touchdown, this one going for 101 yards. Hines broke a tackle attempt from Myles Bryant and then was off to the races, as he became the first player with two kick return touchdowns in the same game since 2010.

The Bills then stretched the lead to 11 points with a quick-strike, 81-yard touchdown drive, thanks to a 42-yard connection from Allen to John Brown, who was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday.

The Patriots didn't lie down, though, driving for another touchdown to cut the Buffalo lead to 28-23. Hunter Henry worked through a tackle on third-and-6 to set up a fourth-and-1, which the Patriots converted with a play-action pass to Meyers. On the next snap, Jones threw deep to Parker, who hauled in his second touchdown of the day.

The two-point conversion, though, was no good, keeping the Patriots' deficit at five.

The Bills, though, are an explosive team, and they sure did explode with some offense on the next drive, with Allen and Stefon Diggs connecting for an unbelievable 49-yard touchdown to stretch Buffalo's lead back to double digits.

Mac Jones tried to complete a deep shot of his own on the ensuing New England drive on a third down, but DeVante Parker was unable to catch that one, with the ball bouncing off his facemask. But on the punt that followed, Buffalo's Taiwan Jones' leg hit the loose ball, and Ja'Whaun Bentley pounced on the pigskin, giving New England a bonus possession at the Buffalo 35-yard line.

The Patriots couldn't capitalize though, with an offensive pass interference penalty on Henry pushing the Patriots back before Jones tried to force a throw to Henry on third-and-19. Henry only got one hand on the high pass, deflecting it into the end zone where Matt Milano picked it off before returning it out to the 40-yard line.

The Patriots forced a punt, but on their next possession, Damien Harris bobbled a pass from Jones over the middle, knocking the ball into the air before it was intercepted by Tremaine Edmunds.

Jones finished the day completing 26 of his 40 passes for 243 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions -- though two of his picks were off deflections. Josh Allen was 19-for-31 for 254 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

While the Patriots competed throughout the contest, the Bills were -- as expected -- too much for them to handle. As a result, it'll be a long winter and spring in New England, one that is likely to bring some changes for a team that has not won a playoff game in the past four seasons.

In:
• Featured