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Will the Patriots Lose Again Tonight

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Allen finished 21 for 25 with 308 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions, leading the way in a game that volition get downward every bit i of the worst losses in Patriots' franchise history.

Mac Jones was 24 for 38 with 208 yards on the way to a loss in the first postseason showtime of his career. Kendrick Bourne had 77 yards on 7 catches and Damien Harris added 30 yards on 9 carries for New England, which saw its season come to an stop with the playoff loss.

This i was over early on, as Allen and the Bills shot to a quick 14-0 lead afterward one quarter and never looked back. The quarterback found 9 different targets on the evening on the way to a 27-iii halftime lead.

It was more of the same in the second half, with Buffalo's parade of scoring only broken up by a Jones touchdown pass for Bourne with 4:12 left in the third quarter.

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Here's how the game unfolded:

Patriots lose — 11:11 p.thou.

That's it.

Information technology's Trubisky time — eleven:09 p.one thousand.

The Bills' backup QB is in, and the Buffalo faithful are cheering as they celebrate their eventual advancement to the next round of the NFL playoffs.

Patriots avoid the worst loss of the Belichick era — xi:06 p.m

Mac Jones connected with Kendrick Bourne with nether two minutes to play, bringing the score to 47-17. With the TD, New England avoids the worst loss of the Belichick era ... for now.

Big man touchdown — 10:fifty p.m.

The Bills are laying information technology on thick now. That big human touchdown is payback for decades of New England dominance, a chance to actually run it up on Belichick and the Patriots. It's at present 47-10 with 8:37 to go in regulation.

Bills piling on — 10:38 p.m.

Now, it'south Allen to Gabriel Davis, and the Bills have made it 40-10 with 13:22 left in regulation. At the start of the evening, I was a large laic in the thought that no matter what happened in this ane, the year has to exist considered a success for the Patriots. Now? I'thousand not and then sure. This is the sort of loss that will leave a marker that'll final for some time.

3 quarters done — 10:32 p.g.

It's 33-10 Bills at the commencement of the fourth quarter.

Jones, Bourne keep fighting — x:22 p.m.

Skilful drive at that place past the Patriots, one that was sparked by a dainty floater from Allen to Kendrick Bourne that went for 43 yards and got New England to the Buffalo 28. Bourne added xiv more than yards on an end around, and was the guy who came through with the fourth-down touchdown catch to brand it 33-10 with 4:12 left in the third quarter.

There's not a lot to like about what the Patriots have done this evening, simply Bourne has been a feisty presence all night long.

Bills keep rolling — 10:08 p.m.

Just an awful brandish there past Joejuan Williams, who never had a take chances on that touchdown pass from Allen to Emmanuel Sanders. It's 33-3 midway through the third quarter.

Bad company — 10:02 p.g.

Potentially unpopular take: The loss to the Ravens was i of the worst on-field moments of the Belichick Era for a few reasons, including the fact that it was a home game. There are still ii quarters to go, but that was worse than what we have seen then far tonight.

Jones picked again — 10:00 p.grand.

And it just keeps getting worse and worse and worse. A Mac Jones pass for Hunter Henry is tipped, and picked off. The Bills will get the ball at their ain 42-yard line. Wonder if the league would consent to a running clock over the last two quarters?

Halftime assay — 9:43 p.one thousand.

Ii quarters are in the books in upstate New York, and the Patriots are down 27-3.

▪ Mac Jones: two carries, 18 yards; 10-16, 106 yards, 1 INT

▪ Damien Harris: five carries, 12 yards

▪ Hunter Henry: i catch on 2 targets, 30 yards

▪ Josh Allen: 5 carries, 63 yards; 12-16, 172 yards, two TDs

▪ Devin Singletary: 11 carries, 58 yards, ii TDs

▪ Stefan Diggs: 3 catches, iv targets, threescore yards

Takeaways:

• Looking for positives? Pitchers and catchers report next month. The Bruins have won 8 of their last 10 games. And the Patriots don't have to face the Bills for another eight months or then.

• Stop me if you've heard this before: A slow start for the Patriots has them in big problem. This was the exact sort of opening human activity the Patriots could not afford. Irksome starts have dogged this team since the bye calendar week, and nosotros saw that again throughout the starting time two quarters this night. On that first drive, Jones threw a choice, Jakob Johnson committed an early fake start (the Patriots were hitting with four penalties in the first half), and Brandon Bolden dropped a pass when he was wide open. There was more of that as the game connected, as errors and sloppy tackling doomed New England to an early on deficit. In that location was some expert in the early going — Jones showed a nice sensation on multiple occasions picking upward extra yards when plays broke down. But those moments were few and far between.

• Not certain how much is scheme, personnel, matchup, or merely situational football (more than of this, in all likelihood), simply New England isn't getting the sort of push when information technology comes to the overall ground game. Harris has gotten the majority of the work — maybe the Patriots will switch it up and become Rhamondre Stevenson more than work in the second one-half. Merely the running assault needs a jump start if New England is going to put up some points in the 2nd half.

• On the other side, the Bills are the ones who are bullying New England on the footing. Singletary has looked similar the 2nd coming of Thurman Thomas, while Allen has run wild through the New England defense. Ane of the points of accent all week was gap subject field against Allen. That didn't work. Allen snapped off multiple designed runs in the first half, including a 26-yarder in the first quarter that was like something out of a "How not to defend Josh Allen" textbook. Allen shook off Christian Barmore on an eight-m run in the 2d quarter. Simply a bad start for New England's run defense against the Buffalo quarterback.

• Non much to say about the state of New England's special teams (other than to throw a kudos to Lawrence Guy for blocking the extra point), so let's accept this opportunity to say: How did this Buffalo squad lose to Jacksonville?

• The Patriots will get the ball to offset the second half. Not certain it'due south going to thing.

Folk makes it 27-3 — 9:35 p.m.

A 44-thou field goal from Nick Folk makes it 27-3 with 1 2nd left in the first half.

Bills keep scoring — 9:31 p.yard.

The Bills are playing the part of the Harlem Globetrotters right at present. The only difference? The Washington Generals put up a improve fight confronting the Globetrotters than the Patriots against Buffalo through the outset ii quarters. That's a really roundabout of saying New England is getting its barrel handed to them tonight. (Yous tin can only say the aforementioned thing then many dissimilar ways.) The latest embarrassment for the Patriots came on the most recent Buffalo offensive bulldoze, where a 45-chiliad pass play from Allen to Diggs got the Bills into scoring position. Singletary then went in from xvi yards out. It'due south 27-0 with 1:53 left in the start half.

Buffalo rolling — 9:12 p.grand.

The Patriots punted the ball away on fourth and 1, and the Bills made them pay, putting together their third scoring drive of the night. The sequence was capped past a Devin Singletary plunge to make it xx-0 with 7:24 left in the first half. (The extra betoken was blocked by Lawrence Guy.) New England isn't ready to play this evening, and the Bills are making them pay.

Compounding the problems?

Bad sign — eight:55 p.m.

End of one — 8:52 p.thou.

Buffalo holds a xiv-0 lead after 1 quarter.

• Mac Jones 2-half-dozen, 39 yards, 1 INT; ane carry, 16 yards

• Josh Allen: 3 carries, 46 yards, 9-12, 86 yards, ii TDs

Buffalo makes it xiv-0 — eight:46 p.thousand.

Another week, another slow first for the Patriots. The Bills have now had two possessions, and Allen has led them to a pair of scoring drives. The quarterback has a whopping 46 rushing yards. The first quarter isn't done, merely New England is just checking off all the boxes on the "What non to do" list this evening.

Buffalo picks off Jones — viii:36 p.m.

Lots of optimism at the start of that drive … that merely went out the window on that interception from Micah Hyde. Ugh. The Bills have possession at their own 20-yard line with 5:twoscore left in the start quarter.

A few quick notes:

-Bourne slipped at the end of that ix-yard completion. As we said before, basis is going to be an event tonight.

-Bad start for Jakob Johnson on that false get-go. With such a small margin for mistake, penalties have to be eliminated, or at least minimized.

-GREAT throw-and-catch on third down from Jones. Terrific pocket awareness on the part of Jones, and a good job by Henry not giving upward on the play — a 30-one thousand connexion. Another dynamite job of pocket awareness afterwards in the drive when he scrambled for 16.

-An ugly driblet by Bolden on a brawl that would have gone for a outset down right after that.

Buffalo takes seven-0 lead — 8:24 p.g.

A few early on thoughts after Buffalo's fast start:

-That 26-yard gain from Allen is the exact sort of thing the Patriots can't beget to happen this night. Extremely dangerous stuff. On the 15-yard pickup later on the drive, Dont'a Hightower was one of a few guys who missed Allen on the tackle.

-Patriots have to match the Bills score for score here. They simply cannot afford some other tiresome start.

-I'm not certain why Ian Hawkeye keeps saying this is Bill Belichick's first wild-card game. Maybe it'south the cold weather.

Pats win the toss, defer — eight:13 p.m.

Time for football.

Official Cost Prediction — 8:03 p.m.

Gone dorsum and forth on this i over the course of the week, and I experience like Buffalo is just a niggling better than New England, at least at this stage of the calendar. The Patriots will hang in and get in a close i, but I'm going to say Bills, 20-17.

Bengals win, 26-19 — seven:53 p.1000.

The Bengals hold on to trounce the Raiders, 26-xix, to boot off wild-card weekend.

What'south the spread? — 7:45 p.grand.

The latest line has Buffalo as a 4.5-point favorite, and the over/under at 43. I think the Bills win only fail to comprehend. Given the weather, I'll besides take the under. A few more stats from Odds Shark:

Buffalo is 6-1-1 against the spread in its last viii games against an opponent in the AFC Eastward.

The total has gone nether in 7 of Buffalo's last 10 games played in January.

Buffalo is thirteen-3 straight up in its last 16 games at home.

New England is viii-3 against the spread in its concluding 11 games.

The full has gone nether in four of New England'southward final five games on the road.

Three things from inside the stadium — 7:40 p.m.

-Kyle Dugger has his correct hand wrapped so information technology looks similar an onetime-schoolhouse, Oakland Raiders' style club. Going to be interesting to see the impact that might have on this game.

-The specialists were scraping at the turf during field-goal attempts. Footing could be an issue.

-The post-obit offensive line group was together during warmups: Justin Herron-Ted Karras-David Andrews-Shaq Mason-Trent Dark-brown.

What'southward libation than existence cool? — 7:20 p.m.

Some random thoughts, Office ii — 7:10 p.thou.

-Mac Jones was three when Tom Brady played in his first postseason game. (The Snow Bowl against the Raiders.) He'll exist the first rookie quarterback to start a playoff game in franchise history.

-Tonight marks the start route wild-card playoff game for head coach Pecker Belichick.

-According to ESPN Stats and Data, this will be the first time the pinnacle two scoring defenses have met in the wild-card round, and only the fourth time in the concluding twenty postseasons in any round.

Patriots inactives include Wynn, Winovich — vii:00 p.thousand.

The following players are inactive for the Patriots this evening:

LT Isaiah Wynn (hip/talocrural joint): Every bit we wrote earlier, its going to be interesting to see how the Patriots make upwards for his absence; volition they motility Trent Brownish to left tackle and have either Mike Onwenu or Justin Herron on the right side? Or will a Herron/Onwenu combo play left tackle against Buffalo this evening?

TE Devin Asiasi and RB J.J. Taylor: Ii youngsters who accept grown accepted to healthy scratches, particularly because they both play positions where New England is specially deep.

QB Jarrett Stidham: Another good for you scratch — the signal-caller hasn't seen a snap of game action this season.

NT Carl Davis: The young defensive lineman is a healthy scratch. A good sign when information technology comes to Christian Barmore — not that at that place's a whole lot of positional back-up there, but information technology could be a sign New England feels OK about depth along the interior of its defensive front.

DE Chase Winovich: A salubrious scratch, which is a scrap of a surprise for the youngster out of Michigan who led the team in sacks last season. In all likelihood, this could be tied to personnel elsewhere; namely, getting as many defensive backs on the field every bit possible.

WR Kristin Wilkerson: Some other salubrious scratch, his appearance among the inactives is likely tied to more depth at another position. I'd guess that Northward'Keal Harry will cease upwards taking the majority of his reps/targets.

In addition to Harry, some of the notable actives this evening including defensive back Kyle Dugger, who has been such a key office of the New England secondary this year; Christian Barmore, a talented defensive lineman who was dinged up at the cease of the Miami loss; and Dont'a Hightower, who missed the Dolphins' game with a knee issue but is apparently good to go tonight.

One other note: No Jalen Mills, who remains on COVID reserve.

The Bills inactives are every bit follows:

Is this the outset of a new rivalry between the Pats and Bills? — 6:50 p.m.

Ane of the things that I've felt over the last month-plus is the fact that we could exist on the cusp of a great new rivalry betwixt the Patriots and Bills. The 2 regular-season games were bitterly contested diplomacy, and the fact that they're meeting in the postseason this evening with everything on the line takes everything to another level. Buffalo appears like they could be constructed for some semblance of long-term success, which has the potential to brand things clumsily spicy down the road.

Await, it's never going to be Patriots-Jets, but it's worth noting that the last time New England faced an opponent three times in one year, it was well-nigh the same time as the well-nigh contempo height of the Pats-New York rivalry of 2006-2011. It's going to be interesting to run across how things play out this evening, but once more, if this game unfolds like I think it could, information technology could set the phase for bigger and better things to come up.

Why games in Buffalo can be fun — 6:40 p.yard.

Consider this a personal postal service: Over the years, I had the chance to cover a dozen or so games in Buffalo. It was always one of the most distinctive trips of the year. Here are a few reasons why:

There's an old-school vibe to the press box. I love information technology because it feels like something out of 1983 — small and homey and sort of intimate. Different than anything you lot run into beyond the league these days. It feels like they just took out the ashtrays three months ago. There are probably more Xerox machines than WiFi routers in the place. The people are great and the facilities are really pleasant and the pre- and post-game spread is good. It's just that while the whole league went wireless a few years agone — metaphorically speaking — the printing box is still relatively analog.

The identify I used to do the Sunday morn radio show remotely was right next to the stadium. This is super-specific, only bear with me here — I used to do a Sun forenoon radio show, and when I was on the road, I'd usually do it from a station relatively close to the stadium. That was nice, but it would still have me a while to sign off the air and get to the actual stadium before kickoff. (I collection like a maniac a few times through Northern New Jersey to get from Manhattan to the Meadowlands earlier first, but I digress.) Anyway, the remote studio for Bills' games was right next door to the stadium, located in the press building. It was, like, a five-minute walk from that studio to my seat in the press box. They had a pocket-size studio, great headphones and an awesome hook up. Made my gig so much easier.

The fans are bananas. In a good way. I mentioned the press box — the back end of the stands is right against the beginning row of the press box, and fans can plow around and face you. You're separated by glass, of course. But there have been multiple occasions where I've had my view blocked by a guy in a Bruce Smith bailiwick of jersey and Zubaz pants. That role isn't swell, just the fact that the fans are e'er loud and ever into the game adds to the atmosphere. There are all sorts of stories of tailgating with the Bills' Mafia that are likewise numerous to mention hither. And they honey to throw goofy stuff on the field. Just for me, one of my favorite parts of covering a game in Buffalo remains the fan involvement.

The stadium itself is smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood. It'due south not directly off the interstate, and without easy entry and exit. Really, the identify is then neighborhoody that people who live down the street from the stadium charge people to park on their front lawns and in their driveways. You are driving through Orchard Park, and there are businesses and homes and fields, and suddenly SHAZAM … there's a large stadium correct in the center of everything. You don't see a lot of that these days. Green Bay is sort of like that, and Memorial Stadium in Baltimore had the same sort of feel. (Of course, that's gone now.) Only Buffalo is just on a whole different level, at least in this era. Gives information technology a fun, old-time, small-market vibe you don't get anywhere else, really.

Y'all can drive there and back from Boston. A lot of the places I traveled as a football game author, you'd have to pack up and fly. Not Buffalo. It's a killer drive out there and back, merely at that place was a masochistic badge of honor to have completed that round trip. I can remember the days when we would leave Saturday night, find a cheap hotel, wake up early on Sunday, I'd go practise radio for three-plus hours, embrace the game, write, and so pile into the automobile for the bulldoze back Sunday afternoon/evening. In that location was more than one time where nosotros were driving toward Boston with the sun coming upwardly listening to Tom Brady do his Mon forenoon radio interview. And in that location were plenty of other occasions where I spent some time questioning my career choices every bit we were wrung out after the first part of the bulldoze, simply still four hours away from dwelling. Merely it was all worth it.

Some random thoughts, Office 1 — 6:30 p.m.

-With Isaiah Wynn not in the lineup, I'd hope New England thinks almost using the versatile Mike Onwenu at i of the tackle spots, as opposed to Justin Herron. (Herron would then theoretically slide up the depth chart every bit the extra tackle when the Patriots wanted to offer a colossal package.) In truth, I'd defer to Trent Brownish — if he feels more comfortable at left tackle (which I'chiliad pretty certain is the case), I'd use Onwenu at right tackle. If Brown wants to give correct tackle a shot, I'd postal service him up in that location and movement Onwenu into the starting lineup on the left side. Either manner, that personnel group gives yous a ameliorate shot at winning tonight, in my opinion.

-The Patriots absolutely take to win the special teams' boxing tonight. Whether that's showing an power to consistently tilt the field when information technology comes to punt and kick coverage, or go a big return, or force a fumble, New England has to show some special teams' magic at the expense of the Bills if it has a chance of winning this game. At the very to the lowest degree, if the Patriots want to exist competitive, they simply can't afford to the brand the sort of special teams' errors we've seen from them over the course of the regular flavour. Large indicate of emphasis this evening.

-New England absolutely has to do a improve job than it did a few weeks dorsum when information technology came to gap subject against Josh Allen. Equally odd as it sounds, given the weather condition, I retrieve the Patriots would be OK having him sit back there and trying to win the game with his arm. Allen has really been a his best against New England when he's been able to make plays with his feet. Keep him bottled up in the pocket and brand him throw. If they're going to practice that, they need big games from a defensive front end seven that has to get habitation -- peculiarly Matthew Judon. Non sure what has happened to him over the last few weeks, but he has to play well this evening if the Patriots want a shot in this 1.

Mac is in the building — 6:20 p.g.

Predict the outcome — vi:fifteen p.m.

Weather update — 6:02 p.chiliad.

The scene from the field three hours before get-go. Barry Chin/Globe Staff

Encounter the latest forecast here.

Pregame reading list — vi:00 p.chiliad.

Best way to get ready for the game? Showtime reading.

Nicole Yang: Patriots tackle Isaiah Wynn is ruled out for Sabbatum's playoff game

Jim McBride: Patriots injuries: Kyle Dugger, Jalen Mills sidelined for practice leading into Bills game

Republic of chad Finn: Patriots need their best game in Round iii, just the trends do not favor them

Chad Finn: I thought the Bills were done after losing to the Patriots in Week 13 — but I was wrong

Ben Volin: How do Josh Allen and the Bills perform in the cold?

Christopher L. Gasper: Win or lose in Buffalo, this season is already a success for the Patriots

Christopher Toll: It'south going to be cold in Buffalo. Actually cold. Allow'southward wait dorsum at four frigid Patriots games under Bill Belichick

Khari Thompson: The 8 about important players in the Patriots-Bills wild-card game

Nicole Yang: Yes, you should await the Patriots to run it a lot confronting the Bills. Hither's why.

Julian Benbow: Bills lineman Harrison Phillips has patiently and productively go a team leader

Tara Sullivan: When weather and football collide, it represents the core of what nosotros love about the game

Ben Volin: NFL playoffs a good for you mixture of familiar names and fresh faces

Live from (upstate) New York, it'due south Saturday night! — v:55 p.chiliad.

Information technology'due south the most wonderful fourth dimension of the year! The Patriots and Bills are gear up to take eye stage when they run into Saturday nighttime at 8:15 in a wild-card matchup that promises to be 1 of the most compelling of the weekend. Nosotros'll have all the latest from Buffalo all night long, including updates from the stadium, the latest weather news, fresh betting information, and much more. So strap in -- put an extra log on the fire and get ready for a common cold evening. It's wild-card weekend, everyone! CUE THE Band.

Christopher Price can exist reached at christopher.price@world.com. Follow him on Twitter at cpriceglobe.

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Source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/01/15/sports/patriots-bills-live-score-wild-card-news/

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