Brady Throws Four Picks, Bills Beat Patriots 34-31
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- Hold on to your seats, the Buffalo Bills are showing they're for real.
Rian Lindell hit a 28-yard field goal as time expired to cap a stunning comeback for a 34-31 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday. The win snapped Buffalo's 15-game losing streak against the Patriots that dated to 2003, and sparked a wild celebration in which stadium officials guarded the goal posts to ensure fans didn't bring them down.
As Lindell's kick sailed through the uprights, holder Brian Moorman jumped on Lindell's shoulders, and receiver David Nelson went running down the other end of the field pumping his fist.
The Bills (3-0) won courtesy of yet another Ryan Fitzpatrick-led rally, overcoming a 21-0 second-quarter deficit. It was reminiscent to what the Bills did in a 38-35 win over Oakland a week earlier, when they scored touchdowns on their final five possession to overcome a 21-3 deficit.
This time, they did it against their long-time AFC East nemesis.
Tom Brady went 30 of 45 for 386 yards and four scores for New England (2-1). Wes Welker had 16 catches for a franchise record 216 yards and two scores.
Despite setting a league record for most yards passing over a three-game stretch, Brady matched a career worst with four interceptions. That included Drayton Florence's 27-yard interception return for a touchdown with 10:22 left that came 14 seconds after Buffalo's Fred Jackson tied the game at 24 with a 1-yard plunge.
Though Brady led the Patriots back to tie the score at 31 on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Welker -- on fourth-and-goal, no less -- the Bills would not be denied.
Getting the ball back with 3:25 remaining, Fitzpatrick needed only three plays to get the Bills into scoring position.
Facing first-and-10 at the Patriots 39, Fitzpatrick hit Jackson on a short crossing pattern over the middle. Jackson broke lose and was attempting to dive into the end zone before being tackled from behind by Devin McCourty.
Officials initially ruled Jackson had scored before having it overturned on video review.
That proved to be an advantage to the Bills, who ran down the clock by kneeling. The Patriots ran out of timeouts -- and composure as an unsportmanlike conduct penalty against Vince Wilfork gave Buffalo another set of downs at the 1.
Stevie Johnson had eight catches for 94 yards and a touchdown for Buffalo. Tight end Scott Chandler also scored on a 3-yard catch.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
