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Empty football field with scoreboard showing Patriots’ 23–20 win over Bills
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Bills lose to Patriots 23-20 on Sunday Night Football as Drake Maye leads New England to first season victory

Patriots Shock Bills with Last-Minute Victory

The Patriots beat the Bills 23-20 on Sunday Night Football, handing Buffalo its first loss of the season. Drake Maye's late-game drive and crucial plays from Stefon Diggs propelled New England to victory.

  • Patriots upset Bills 23-20 at Highmark Stadium
  • Andy Borregales kicks 52-yard field goal winner
  • Drake Maye throws for 273 yards performance
  • Stefon Diggs catches 10 passes against Bills
  • Rhamondre Stevenson scores two rushing touchdowns tonight
  • Buffalo loses first game of 2025 season
  • New England improves record to 3-2 overall
  • Josh Allen throws two interceptions in loss

The New England Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills 23-20 on Sunday Night Football at Highmark Stadium on October 5, 2025, ending Buffalo’s unbeaten streak and leaving the NFL without any remaining undefeated teams. Rookie kicker Andy Borregales converted a 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining to secure the upset victory.[1][2][3]

Drake Maye Delivers Breakout Performance

Drake Maye threw for 273 yards and orchestrated the game-winning drive in the final minutes, demonstrating poise under pressure in one of the league’s loudest stadiums.[4][5] The second-year quarterback completed passes at a remarkable adjusted completion rate, recording just one incompletion in the second half.[6]

One pivotal moment showcased Maye’s dual-threat capabilities. Facing pressure on the decisive drive, he evaded a potential sack with a running back-style stiff arm, then delivered a 12-yard completion to Stefon Diggs to maintain possession.[7][8] This play set up Borregales for the decisive field goal.

Maye’s performance has elevated him to 10th or 11th in quarterback rankings across six major sports publications, including NFL.com, Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, The Athletic, CBS Sports, and The Ringer.[9] An NFL executive told The Athletic that Maye “looked fantastic, relaxed and composed” with “all the physical attributes needed to be exceptional.”[9]

Stefon Diggs Shines Against Former Team

Stefon Diggs recorded 10 receptions for 146 yards in his return to Highmark Stadium, with 119 of those yards coming in the second half.[10][11] Diggs, who departed Buffalo after the 2023 season, delivered a standout performance against his former teammates.[12]

Diggs caught a critical 32-yard pass from Maye in the third quarter that helped set up a Patriots touchdown.[13] His performance throughout the second half proved instrumental in keeping drives alive during crucial moments.

First Half Marked by Turnovers and Field Goals

Both teams struggled offensively in a first half characterized by turnovers and defensive stands. The Bills committed two fumbles, while the Patriots turned the ball over once.[14][15] Neither offense could capitalize on the turnovers with touchdowns, settling for field goals instead.

Josh Allen acknowledged the Bills’ ball security issues, stating, “They took care of the football, we didn’t.”[16] Andy Borregales kicked field goals of 30 and 19 yards for New England, while Matt Prater connected from 31 yards for Buffalo. The Patriots led 6-3 at halftime.[17][18]

The Patriots reached the 1-yard line on the final play of the first half but failed to score a touchdown, settling for Borregales’ second field goal instead.[19]

Offensive Production Improves After Halftime

The Bills opened the third quarter scoring with a 13-play, 66-yard drive that consumed nearly six minutes. The drive featured a 20-yard reception by Dalton Kincaid, who finished with six catches for 108 yards.[20] Josh Allen capped the drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel, giving Buffalo a 10-6 advantage.[21]

New England responded immediately. Maye connected with Diggs on the 32-yard completion, and Rhamondre Stevenson scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to reclaim the lead at 13-10.[22]

Turnovers Prove Costly for Buffalo

The Bills advanced to the Patriots’ 9-yard line on their next possession but were pushed back to the 19-yard line after an offensive pass interference penalty.[23] On the following play, Marcus Jones intercepted an Allen pass intended for Khalil Shakir.[24]

Stevenson capitalized on the turnover with a 7-yard rushing touchdown, his second of the game, extending New England’s lead to 20-10.[25] Allen threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns but committed two turnovers that contributed to Buffalo losing the turnover battle 3-1.[26]

Bills Rally Falls Short

Buffalo cut the deficit to three points when Allen threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman, making the score 20-17.[27] The Bills defense then forced a critical stop, with Shaq Thompson chasing Maye out of bounds for a sack on third down after a false start penalty.[28]

Matt Prater tied the game at 20 with a 45-yard field goal with 2:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.[29] However, Maye responded by completing a 19-yard pass to Kayshon Boutte to move into field goal range.[30] Despite a sack by Cole Bishop, Borregales converted the 52-yard attempt with 15 seconds left.[31]

Allen could not engineer a comeback in the final seconds, and the Patriots secured the 23-20 victory.[32] The loss ended Buffalo’s consecutive home regular-season win streak and their home winning streak against New England.[33]

Standings Impact

The Patriots improved to 3-2 on the season, moving above .500 and closing the gap in the AFC East.[34] The Bills fell to 4-1, remaining atop the division but suffering their first defeat of 2025.[35] The victory marked Josh Allen’s seventh loss in 14 career meetings against New England, evening his record at 7-7 against the Patriots.[36]

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Sam Gupta is a senior investigative journalist with nearly a decade of experience specializing in economic and political investigations. His work focuses on uncovering the dynamics of government policies, corporate accountability, and the intersection of politics and finance in developing economies. He holds a B.S. in International Relations from Columbia University (2016), where he concentrated on global governance, economics, and investigative reporting. Sam has built a reputation as a trusted voice on government and corporate affairs, contributing to major international outlets and independent newsrooms. His reporting often highlights issues of transparency, corruption, and the influence of financial institutions on public policy. Currently based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, he writes for Faharas NET, where he continues to investigate political and economic developments shaping South Asia and beyond. His analytical, fact-driven style combines data analysis with on-the-ground perspectives to present readers with balanced, evidence-based journalism.

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Editorial Timeline

Revisions
— by Nodin Laramie
  1. Complete article rewrite with BLUF opening paragraph structure
  2. Updated all facts and statistics with October 5-11, 2025 verified reporting
  3. Restructured content with H2 and H3 headings for improved readability
  4. Added comprehensive secondary source citations with 36 authoritative references
  5. Enriched article with detailed play-by-play descriptions and player statistics
  6. Simplified prose for Grade 8 readability and eliminated complex constructions
  7. Updated TL;DR section with 8-point key facts (7 words each)
  8. Expanded FAQ section with three comprehensive question-answer pairs
  9. Verified turnover counts, field goal distances, and all game statistics
  10. Added contextual information about standings impact and historical records

Correction Record

Accountability
— by Elena Voren
Add SEO improvements
— by Nodin Laramie
  1. Verified game date as October 5, 2025, not October 6
  2. Confirmed Andy Borregales field goal distance at 52 yards
  3. Corrected Drake Maye passing yards from approximate to exact 273 yards
  4. Verified Stefon Diggs reception total as 10 catches for 146 yards
  5. Confirmed Rhamondre Stevenson scored two rushing touchdowns
  6. Verified final score as Patriots 23, Bills 20
  7. Corrected Josh Allen career record against Patriots to 7-7
  8. Confirmed Buffalo record as 4-1 after loss, not 5-1
  9. Verified Patriots record improved to 3-2, not 2-3
  10. Confirmed all field goal distances and touchdown descriptions with multiple sources

FAQ

What was the final score of the game?

The final score was Patriots 23, Bills 20.

How did Drake Maye perform against the Bills?

Drake Maye threw for 273 yards and recorded just one incompletion in the second half. He orchestrated the game-winning drive and demonstrated poise under pressure, earning praise from NFL executives and ranking 10th or 11th among quarterbacks across major sports publications.

What role did Stefon Diggs play in this upset victory?

Stefon Diggs recorded 10 receptions for 146 yards against his former Bills team, with 119 of those yards coming in the second half. His standout performance included a critical 32-yard catch in the third quarter that set up a Patriots touchdown, proving instrumental in New England's comeback victory.