Christian Benford, Rasul Douglas and Taron Johnson of the Buffalos secondary have proven difficult for opponents to score on in recent games; here, they kept New England from scoring even one touchdown!
The Patriots’ run defense remains their greatest Achilles heel. They struggle to clear away blocks and reduce space efficiently, opening cutback lanes for explosive ball carriers like Buffalo’s Drake Maye.
In this article, we will discuss the main points or high lights of Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots Match Player Stats.
Here’s a table summarizing the last five matchups between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, including postseason games, through January 5, 2025:
| Date | Venue | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 5, 2025 | @ Patriots | Patriots 23–16 Bills | Patriots snapped season skid, fired HC Jerod Mayo after |
| Dec 22, 2024 | vs Patriots | Bills 24–21 Patriots | Regular-season win by Buffalo |
| Dec 31, 2023 | @ Bills | Bills 27–21 Patriots | Buffalo closed 2023 with win |
| Oct 22, 2023 | @ Patriots | Patriots 29–25 Bills | New England upset Buffalo |
| Jan 15, 2022 (WC Playoff) | @ Bills | Bills 47–17 Patriots | Historic playoff blowout; seven TDs in first seven drives |
Player stats
The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have met 130 times during regular season play, with New England holding an edge 78-50-1 in terms of regular-season wins. Both teams also met eight times in playoff play – each team winning five. At present, Buffalo is 3-3 against New England while facing them again Sunday night when visiting New England.
First half action was relatively quiet until Drake Maye made headlines for inadvertently striking Austin Hooper with an elbow during third down and 10 play for the Patriots, possibly leading to an ulnar nerve contusion and forcing Maye out of action, yet still managing to remain in game play. His injury required taking off his helmet but allowed him to remain playing.
Even while injured, Maye was still able to complete a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Henry for a score that put the Patriots up 14-0 and allowed them to add one more field goal before halftime.
After halftime, the Patriots went straight back into action on their initial possession of the second half. Moving the ball 54 yards in 12 plays, highlighted by James Cook’s 1-yard run for a touchdown that tied OJ Simpson’s single-season rushing record set against Buffalo back in 1995; unfortunately Tyler Bass missed the extra point kick.
Buffalo’s offense began to look more familiar on their next possession. Josh Allen completed passes to Keon Coleman for 17 yards and Cook for 25. Unfortunately, Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled a second-and-3 carry and it was recovered by Dorian Williams on the following play.
The Bills special teams had yet another disappointing game. Marcus Jones had success against the Patriots last time by returning a kickoff for a touchdown return; this time around however, he fumbled it and it was recovered by Jamar Taylor at their 35-yard line.
Both teams were struggling on offense, with neither being able to find their groove offensively. When the Patriots took the field next, their next possession saw Antonio Gibson fail on fourth down for an incomplete pass and their opponent Sam Martin take advantage of an incentive of $100k by punting inside 20 yards for the Patriots and punt inside that distance – something he did successfully.
Head-to-head record
The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have faced off in 130 regular season games over time, with the Patriots leading with 78 wins against 70 losses (including winning 37-20 in 2024 ). Both teams also met twice during playoffs play – each team winning one game while losing both (but in each case one was won by one or other of them). This page contains their head-to-head record as well as their biggest victories and defeats; moreover, The Patriots hold a 15 consecutive game winning streak over them ( longer than any team in NFL history )!
The New England Patriots rely on both running the ball and passing to score, which makes their success against the Buffalo Bills a breeze. While they have a capable running team in Buffalo Bills, their offense often cannot keep pace with that of New England; their pass defense leaves much to be desired as well.
This game promises to be a high-scoring affair and could end in a blowout for Buffalo. They must play an efficient game without giving away turnovers to win this contest – their defense has started gelling well, providing hope of stopping any Patriots comeback attempts.
Historically, the Patriots have enjoyed an amazing run against the Bills from 2003-2010, winning 15 straight games at Ralph Wilson Stadium without suffering defeat – their longest winning streak against any opponent ever and only loss at Ralph Wilson Stadium during that timeframe. But in 2011, Bills defeated Patriots 34-31.
The Bills secondary is still a big question mark and must improve their pass coverage to stop deep passes from New England Patriots and allow their run defense to apply pressure to Tom Brady. They must also prevent special teams yards gain and utilize Tyler Bass better as kicker.
Schedule
On Sunday at Highmark Stadium, the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots will square off in a game that has been moved out of its original 1 p.m. start time to become more visible for viewers at 4:25 on CBS. While no official reason has been provided by the league for making this change, one can easily predict that ratings could take a hit as viewers tune-in earlier.
The Bills entered this game at 8-6 and needed a win to qualify for a playoff berth, yet were going up against an undefeated Patriots side that had just secured an AFC East title last week. In the first quarter alone, however, they struggled to gain yards on the ground while failing to stop Tom Brady’s passing game successfully.
After an initial three-and-out drive of the second quarter, New England drove 55 yards in 11 plays. Joey Slye kicked a 41-yard field goal to regain the lead; but Buffalo responded quickly with James Cook’s 1-yard touchdown run that tied O.J. Simpson’s single-season rushing record of 1,445. Unfortunately for them though, on their next possession they threw an interception which Tom Brady picked off and returned it for another score by throwing another interception back at Buffalo!
On the Bills’ third possession, quarterback Mike White completed a 13-yard pass to Curtis Samuel on fourth down but failed to convert a third down conversion, forcing Sam Martin’s punt inside 20-yard line where it fumbled, earning them a $100,000 incentive bonus bonus and leading directly to an interception and touchdown return from special teams player, giving the Patriots the lead at 14-6.
Buffalo will use this game as an opportunity for its young and developing backup players, who are hoping to establish themselves in the league, to establish themselves. Those who show promise could get future starts or get the rest they need before returning healthy for their next contests. The over/under for this contest has been set at just 7.5 points. While New England are slight favorites over Buffalo in this contest, this season the under has prevailed nine out of 14 times despite this slight edge for their opponents.
Prediction
New England should take advantage of Buffalo’s weak secondary, especially Demario Douglas in the slot where he has been productive this season – catching 55 out of 73 targets for 508 yards and two touchdowns against zone coverage from Damar Hamlin, Taylor Rapp and Matt Milano who all struggle with coverage duties this year.
The Patriots defense has also been inconsistent this season in terms of sacks and tackles for loss, which may present issues against Buffalo’s backup line. James Cook is another force worth keeping an eye on; he has amassed 1,029 yards and 15 touchdowns this year alone! Although they should be able to handle Buffalo’s offensive weapons effectively enough, improving defensive execution will be key if they wish to prevail in this game.
Although odds appear lopsided, this game holds great importance for both teams. The Patriots remain in contention for playoff contention while the Bills hope to finish strong and improve their draft position. A win against division rival would give each side momentum heading into offseason play.
Due to injuries on both teams, this game could feature many backup and role players. Buffalo will put pressure on the Patriots’ defense while New England must focus on protecting Maye while developing their ground game to take control of the pace of play.
This game will likely take place under frigid conditions, further complicating matters for both teams. Prioritizing ball security will be essential in this matchup as turnovers could play a pivotal role in its outcome; Buffalo’s offensive line should struggle against New England’s front seven run defenders; their pass protection has been an issue of late and Greg Rousseau, Von Miller, and AJ Epenesa should generate pressure in passing game situations against New England Patriots’ pass protection.