The Bills dominated the Patriots in every facet of their AFC wild-card game on Saturday in Buffalo, winning 47-17 to advance in the postseason and set up a matchup with either the Chiefs or Bengals next weekend. The defeat was the Patriots' worst playoff loss under coach Bill Belichick and their second-worst loss in any game during his 22-year head-coaching career.
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Despite frigid temperatures, Bills quarterback Josh Allen controlled the game through the air with 308 yards passing and five touchdowns. Running back Devin Singletary added 81 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Buffalo scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions before kneeling out to end the game on its eighth series, recording the first game in NFL history in which one team never attempted a field goal, punted or turned the ball over (via interception, fumble or turnover on downs).
"There are some things we can clean up and work on but at the end of the day we moved on and on to the next one," Allen said after the game. "It doesn't matter what we did today. It matters what we do next week. We got to put our foot forward and be ready for the next one."
The Bills cruised from the opening kickoff. Allen began the game with a nine-play, 70-yard drive that culminated in an eight-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox. After Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was picked off in the end zone by Buffalo safety Micah Hyde, Allen drove the Bills back up the field for another Knox score.
Buffalo never looked back from there. Singletary scored twice and had his team up 27-3 at halftime. The halftime deficit was the largest in Patriots playoff history and tied for the largest halftime deficit in any game under Bill Belichick (Week 12 in 2013 against Broncos), according to ESPN.
The Patriots finally got into the end zone with 4:12 remaining in the third quarter on a 3-yard pass from Jones to Kendrick Bourne, but it was too little too late. Buffalo would end up tacking on another 20 points in the second half before the final whistle was blown.
The Bills will now wait for Sunday’s AFC wild-card result to determine their next opponent. If the Chiefs defeat the Steelers, they will travel to Kansas City. A Pittsburgh victory means Buffalo hosts the Bengals.
(Photo: Barry Chin / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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Biggest takeaways from a dominant Bills victory
Joe Buscaglia, Bills beat writer: The biggest takeaway was that Allen was borderline superhuman in his complete dismantling of the rival Patriots. He had more touchdown passes than incompletions and the Bills scored a touchdown on every offensive possession that Allen was on the field. The Bills also kept their renewed rushing attack going with Singletary.
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Above all else, this win on this stage and against the opponent that gave them so many problems only a month ago was a declaration that the Bills are for real in this postseason.
More optimal matchup for Buffalo: Kansas City or Cincinnati?
Buscaglia: Although the Bengals’ passing attack has been outstanding at the end of the season, going against their pass defense would be the most conducive for the Bills getting a second straight trip to the AFC Championship.
Most importantly, it would keep the Bills at home, where they have been on fire over the final stretch of the regular season and postseason. They’ve won all four games, averaged 33.5 points per game and an average margin of victory of 19.5 points.
Biggest area of concern for New England's defense
Matthew Fairburn, Patriots beat writer: The secondary. The Patriots were playing without starting cornerback Jalen Mills. And Kyle Dugger was banged up in this game. And Jonathan Jones has been on injured reserve since midseason. But this group cratered at the end of the season.
J.C. Jackson wasn't good enough in any big moment, and he's a free agent. Devin McCourty will be 35 years old next season. The Patriots need some answers in the secondary with Allen in the division.
Worst Patriots playoff loss since …
Fairburn: The Super Bowl loss to the Giants. That game may have been more gut-wrenching for Patriots fans because it was the Super Bowl, but this was the most lopsided playoff loss of Belichick's career. Never has his team been so thoroughly beaten in the postseason. As much as Jones and the Patriots provided reasons for optimism during the season, Matthew Slater described the loss as a "crash landing" for their season.
