Mac Jones leads Patriots to last-minute comeback win over Bills
FOXBORO -- The New England Patriots picked up their first home win of the season on Sunday, and they did so in dramatic fashion.
After falling behind for the first time of the game inside of the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter, Mac Jones and the offense engineered a 75-yard touchdown drive to secure a dramatic 29-25 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Jones hit Mike Gesicki for a 1-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left in the game to give New England the lead.
Mac Jones was 25-for-30 for 272 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions on the day. Demario Douglas had 54 receiving yards, 20 rushing yards, plus a 25-yard punt return in his best game as a pro. Kendrick Bourne -- who caught six passes and committed a critical turnover -- caught the other touchdown from Jones.
The Patriots got out to an early lead, driving 63 yards on the opening possession, with a 25-yard catch-and-run by Pharaoh Brown being the big play of the drive. Facing a fourth-and-2 at the Buffalo 12-yard line, Bill Belichick opted to settle for the field goal. Chad Ryland's kick was good, and the Patriots led 3-0.
Josh Allen was then picked off on Buffalo's first offensive play by Jabrill Peppers.
Demario Douglas caught two passes for 26 yards, including a 16-yard grab on a third-and-1, to help get the Patriots deep into the red zone. Once there, Ezekiel Elliott got two straight carries, bullying his way into the end zone to give the Patriots a 10-0 lead.
The Bills responded with a long scoring drive, moving 57 yards on 13 plays on a drive that chewed up more than 7 minutes. But an offensive pass interference penalty negated a third-down touchdown in the red zone, and Allen threw incomplete on the ensuing third down, forcing Buffalo to settle for a field goal to make the score 10-3.
The Patriots got another field goal, thanks to a 25-yard punt return by Douglas followed by a 33-yard catch-and-run from Kendrick Bourne. The Bills then went on a 51-yard drive, but Tyler Bass' field goal attempt took a sharp turn halfway to the goalposts and sailed wide right. The game headed to halftime with the Patriots up 13-3.
The Bills came out of halftime with their first touchdown drive of the day, marching 81 yards on 10 plays -- with a questionable roughing the passer penalty on Jack Jones helping the cause -- to cut New England's lead to 13-10. Allen connected with James Cook for the score.
Ryland successfully kicked a 49-yard field goal through the wind to stretch the Patriots' lead to 16-10 on the Patriots' next possession.
The score stayed there on the following drive, when Ja'Whaun Bentley punched out a potential chain-moving reception to Dawson Knox on a fourth-and-2 to turn the ball over on downs.
The Patriots stretched the lead to 22-10 with a nine-play, 66-yard touchdown drive, aided by an illegal contact penalty against Buffalo on a play when Jones fumbled while being sacked. The Patriots made the most out of the opportunity, with Jones hitting Bourne for a 4-yard touchdown. (The two-point conversion attempt from the half-yard line was unsuccessful.)
The Bills charged back, though, with Stefon Diggs making an incredible second and third effort while making a sliding catch, popping off the turf, then shaking a tackle attempt from J.C. Jackson en route to a 25-yard touchdown that cut New England's lead to 22-17.
The Patriots then compounded matters when Bourne fumbled while trying to fight for extra yards at the Patriots' 29-yard line. Dane Jackson punched the ball loose, and Terrel Bernard recovered it, giving Buffalo possession with a chance to take a late lead.
The Bills did just that, with Allen running two QB sneaks from the 1-yard line, with the second one leading to the go-ahead touchdown. Allen then converted the two-point conversion with a completion to Dawson Knox, giving Buffalo a 25-22 lead with 1:58 left to play.
Jones then quickly led the Patriots on the game-winning drive.
Now 2-5, the Patriots hit the road next week to play the Dolphins in Miami.
