Bills Freeze Patriots, Winning 24-21

Coming off a big win against Detroit, the high-flying Buffalo Bills went back home to Orchard Part to host the division rival New England Patriots for an AFC East battle. The battle would be hard fought for a few years, primarily because these division rivals always play hard against each other, but you have to take into consideration the sub-freezing temperatures that hit Buffalo on Sunday, December 22, 2024.

More than 70,000 fans piled into a sold-out Highmark Stadium while braving 9-degree temperatures to watch these two teams play their 130th game against each other.

The Patriots, who controlled most of the first half, scored the first points of the game on their first possession. New England's Kayshon Boutte caught a 28-yard pass from quarterback Drake Maye to give the Patriots an early lead. Rhmondre Stevenson added another 7 points for the Patriots when he scampered 14 yards on his way to the end zone for a rushing touchdown.

While the Patriots mostly controlled the 1st half, Buffalo did manage to put some points on the board when James Cook outran the Patriots' defense to score on a 46-yard run.

The second half turned out to be much better for the Buffalo Bills as the team made some adjustments, and they paid off almost immediately when James Cook was able to grab a 4-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to tie the game at 14-14.

The Bills comeback didn't stop there, as Tyler Bass added a 50-yard field goal just three minutes later, giving Buffalo a three-point lead.

As the game wore on, the Bills' defense was able to step up in a big way when Taron Johnson was able to put his hands on a backward lateral thrown by Drake Maye, resulting in a fumble recovery and touchdown.

New England scored a last-minute touchdown when Hunter Henry grabbed a 9-yard pass from Drake Maye with just over one minute left on the clock. The Patriots attempted to kick an on-side kick, but the Bills were able to recover the ball to hold on and win. While the last few games as the Bills and their opponents put up major points, this game was a lot closer than what we're used to in Western New York.

With Buffalo inking its 51st all-time win against the Patriots, the team looks towards NFL Week 17 when the New York Jets travel to Western New York on Sunday, December 29, 2024. That game is currently scheduled for 1 pm at Highmark Stadium.