Drake Maye (3 TDs), Patriots stun Bills at home with late score (NFL)

Gregory Fisher

Oct 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at New Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Drake Maye completed 22 of 37 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns, including a late, go-ahead TD pass to Efton Chism III, to lead the New England Patriots to a 29-26 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Chism's leaping, one-handed 23-yard TD catch plus Maye's pass to Rhamondre Stevenson for the two-point conversion gave the Patriots a 29-26 lead with 1:50 to play.

Craig Woodson intercepted a Josh Allen pass at the New England 19-yard line on the ensuing possession, and the Patriots (2-2) were able to run out the clock and hand Buffalo (3-1) its first loss in its new stadium.

Allen was 23-of-33 passing for 253 yards and one touchdown. Buffalo's Keon Coleman caught six passes for 116 yards and a TD. James Cook rushed for 75 yards and a score.

The Patriots struck first when Maye connected with Romeo Doubs (six receptions, 58 yards, two TDs) for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 7:01 left in the first quarter. The score capped a 12-play, 97-yard drive.

Buffalo tied the game on Cook's 8-yard TD run plus Tyler Bass' extra point 45 seconds into the second quarter.

New England regained the lead on Stevenson's 1-yard run with 5:38 left before halftime, but Buffalo responded when Allen scored from 2 yards away with one minute left. The TD gave Allen the most touchdowns from scrimmage (88) in franchise history, breaking a tie with Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas.

It remained 14-14 until Bass made a 27-yard field goal with two seconds left in the half. The field goal was set up by Dee Alford's interception that he returned to the New England 9-yard line with nine seconds remaining. The interception came after Doubs lost control of the ball as he fell to the ground following a catch.

The Patriots were up 21-17 after Doubs caught a 2-yard TD pass with 8:15 left in the third, but Buffalo made it 21-20 on Bass' 38-yard field goal with 11:07 to play in the game.

The Bills regained their lead at 26-21 on Allen's 34-yard TD pass to Coleman with 4:27 left. The ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed.

--Field Level Media

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