Patriots end season with win over Bills, significantly affecting draft slot
The New England Patriots ended up finishing the 2024 season with the same record as 2023, improving to 4-13 with a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
This victory, much like the 13 losses that preceded it, will be met with derision in many corners of those following the Patriots. New England had a chance to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with a loss. After the win, they will now pick fourth.
Both starting quarterbacks lasted only one possession for their teams. In the case of Bills quarterback Josh Allen, it was literally only one snap. Allen handed it off to James Cook, establishing his active start streak, then exited the game for backup Mitch Trubisky.
Patriots starting quarterback Drake Maye, meanwhile, played three snaps and went 0-for-1 passing while taking a nine-yard sack. He gave way to fellow rookie Joe Milton III on the Pats’ next possession.
Ironically, both teams started moving the ball offensively after putting in the backups. The Patriots took a 14-10 lead to halftime, as Milton finished the first half 12-of-13 passing for 139 yards and a touchdown pass, which was a 48-yard strike to Kayshon Boutte. He also rushed twice for three yards and a rushing touchdown.
The Bills took their first lead of the game midway through the third quarter after the Patriots committed the first turnover of the day, as Milton and running back Antonio Gibson botched their handoff for a lost fumble. Buffalo drove 16 yards in five plays to get back to the end zone, this time with a Cook touchdown run. The extra point sailed wide right, but the Bills took a 16-14 lead.
Milton responded by leading the Patriots on a 12-play, 64-yard drive, which they finished off with a 41-yard field goal by Joey Slye to put the Pats up 17-16 late in the third quarter.
Milton nearly had another touchdown pass, but a holding penalty negated the score. The Patriots settled for another field goal to go up 20-16, then Slye knocked another one through the uprights late in the fourth to make it 23-16, which would be the final score.
With the Pats’ season over, the focus will now turn to the futures of their coaching staff and front office, with all eyes on the status of head coach Jerod Mayo and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf heading into Monday.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
