Patriots Defeat Bills 37-16, Break NFL Record For Consecutive Season Wins
The New England Patriots continue their march to the number one seed in the AFC with a 37-16 win at home in Foxboro against the Buffalo Bills.
Now sitting at 12-3 on the season, New England broke an NFL record with 12 or more wins for the past eight consecutive years.
A pair of field goals had the game tied 3-3 early on, before Tom Brady threw a third down pick intended for newly acquired wide receiver Kenny Britt, that was intercepted by Jordan Poyer and returned 19 yards for a Buffalo touchdown, giving the Bills the 10-3 lead.
Brady redeemed his interception moments later on a 75-yard drive with a 17-yard pass that resulted in a one-handed catch by Rob Gronkowski, that tied the game at 10-10.
New England was held to a field goal with only 1:55 left in the half after a 44-yard pass interference call on Buffalo, bringing it to 13-10, Patriots.
Buffalo then made a quick march downfield, looking like they would take the lead when an apparent touchdown pass from Tyrod Taylor to Kelvin Benjamin was overturned on review.
In #BUFvsNE, when Kelvin Benjamin gains control, his left foot is off the ground. The receiver only has one foot down in bounds with control. Therefore, it is an incomplete pass. -AL
— NFL Football Operations (@NFLFootballOps) December 24, 2017
The Bills were held to a field goal with two seconds of the half remaining on the clock, putting the score at 13-13 heading into halftime.
Patriots Come Alive In Second Half
Second half action belonged to the Patriots, while Buffalo was only able to put a 3-point field goal on the board in the final 30 minutes of the game.
Dion Lewis caught Brady’s only other touchdown pass of the game. Lewis also carried for a career-high 129 yards. Mike Gillislee, who came back to the field after six games out, also added 6 points on the board with a rushing touchdown of his own.
The Patriots host the New York Jets next Sunday, New Year’s Eve at 1pm in Foxboro.
