Buffalo scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions to erase a 21-point deficit at Gillette Stadium, beating New England 35-31 on December 14, 2025. The comeback kept the Bills within one game of first place in the AFC East before the final three weeks. Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes without an interception. James Cook rushed for 107 yards and two scores. Matt Milano, who has battled injuries throughout 2025, recorded two sacks and helped Buffalo outscore the Patriots 28-7 after halftime.
The victory marked Buffalo’s third double-digit comeback of 2025. For New England, the loss snapped a 10-game winning streak.
Table of Contents
Complete Team Statistics
The Bills controlled possession for nearly 11 more minutes than New England, running 67 plays compared to the Patriots’ 51. Buffalo used that advantage to sustain the drives needed to complete their rally.
| Category | Buffalo | New England |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 349 | 385 |
| First Downs | 22 | 19 |
| Third Down | 8/14 (57%) | 5/10 (50%) |
| Fourth Down | 1/1 (100%) | 0/1 (0%) |
| Rushing Yards | 168 | 246 |
| Passing Yards | 181 | 139 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of Possession | 35:21 | 24:39 |
| Red Zone | 5/6 (83%) | 2/3 (67%) |
Buffalo converted 83% of red zone trips into touchdowns, scoring on all five attempts after halftime. New England managed just seven points in the final two quarters despite their 246-yard rushing performance.
Quarterback Stats and Allen’s MVP Campaign
Allen threw fewer passes than usual but made each one count, completing 67.9% while trailing by three touchdowns. Avoiding turnovers kept the Bills within striking distance throughout the first half collapse.
| Stat | Josh Allen (BUF) | Drake Maye (NE) |
|---|---|---|
| Comp/Att | 19/28 | 14/23 |
| Yards | 193 | 155 |
| TD | 3 | 0 |
| INT | 0 | 1 |
| Rating | 123.1 | 62.8 |
| Rush Yards | 48 | 43 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 2 |
Allen now has 37 combined touchdowns this season, tied with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford for the NFL lead. Despite taking two sacks, the reigning MVP posted a 67.9% completion rate and 123.1 passer rating. He threw touchdown passes to three different receivers, converting multiple third downs during Buffalo’s five-touchdown surge. On fourth-and-three in the fourth quarter, Allen found Khalil Shakir for 37 yards to keep the go-ahead drive alive.
Allen’s 20-yard scramble in the third quarter set up Knox’s first touchdown, cutting New England’s lead to 24-14. Allen has now led Buffalo to victories in all three games where they trailed by double digits this season.
“6-5, 250 pounds, runs fast, hard to tackle, hard to get down on the ground, accurate, strong arm,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said. “Just watch all the games.”
Maye showed early promise with two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter but completed just 5 of 12 passes for 67 yards with an interception in the final two quarters. He absorbed all three of his sacks after halftime as Buffalo applied more pressure.
Ground Game: Henderson’s Explosiveness vs. Cook’s Reliability
New England’s rushing attack dominated the stat sheet but couldn’t protect their lead.
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TreVeyon Henderson | NE | 14 | 148 | 10.6 | 2 | 65 |
| James Cook | BUF | 22 | 107 | 4.9 | 2 | 12 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | 6 | 50 | 8.3 | 0 | 15 |
| Josh Allen | BUF | 11 | 48 | 4.4 | 0 | 20 |
Henderson totaled 148 yards on just 14 carries. Two touchdown runs (52 and 65 yards) accounted for 117 of those yards. The rookie running back now has four rushing scores of 50-plus yards this season, tying him alongside Saquon Barkley (2018), Adrian Peterson (2012), and Barry Sanders (1997) for third-most in NFL history. Only Chris Johnson (2009) and Jim Brown (1963) recorded five such scores in a single season.
According to Pro Football Reference, Henderson became the first Patriots player with four 50-yard rushing touchdowns in a season. The 65-yard score in the fourth quarter temporarily gave New England a 31-28 lead, but Buffalo answered immediately.
Cook reached 107 yards for his eighth 100-yard game of 2025, maintaining his position as the NFL’s second-leading rusher at 1,415 yards. Cook’s longest run went just 12 yards, but his 4.9 average reflected steady, grinding work between the tackles that kept chains moving. Cook converted four first downs on the ground and added a receiving touchdown for three total scores.
The former Kentucky standout passed 4,000 career rushing yards, becoming the sixth Bills running back to reach that milestone. Cook’s rushing touchdowns on short plunges in the third and fourth quarters allowed Buffalo to answer New England’s scores.
Bills Passing Targets and Knox’s Franchise Record
Buffalo spread the ball around to eight different receivers. Tight ends and running backs played significant roles in the comeback. Knox’s two touchdown receptions made franchise history just days after his wife gave birth.
Buffalo Bills
| Player | Targets | Rec | Yards | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khalil Shakir | 5 | 5 | 65 | 0 | 37 |
| Dawson Knox | 4 | 3 | 37 | 2 | 19 |
| Dalton Kincaid | 4 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 24 |
| Ty Johnson | 3 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 12 |
New England Patriots
| Player | Targets | Rec | Yards | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mack Hollins | 8 | 4 | 41 | 0 | 18 |
| Kayshon Boutte | 1 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 30 |
| Stefon Diggs | 4 | 3 | 26 | 0 | 16 |
Knox now has 26 career receiving touchdowns, surpassing Pete Metzelaars for most by a tight end in Bills history. Both scores occurred in critical red zone situations. The 14-yard touchdown on third-and-14 gave Buffalo their first lead at 28-24 after an offensive holding penalty had pushed them back from the three-yard line.
“That throw, man, it was on me in a second. It was like a 90-mile per hour fastball, and he put it in the perfect place,” Knox said after the game.
Head coach Sean McDermott praised Knox’s performance during a remarkable week: “Dawson Knox, what a week, holy smokes. Having a new baby, he and his wife, congratulations to them, and then two touchdowns today and setting the record for Buffalo Bills all-time leading touchdown receptions as a tight end.”
Milano’s Return and Buffalo’s Defensive Shift
Matt Milano has battled injuries throughout 2025, making his performance particularly significant. The linebacker recorded his first career multi-sack game when Buffalo needed it most, helping turn around a defense that allowed 24 first-half points.
Buffalo Bills
| Player | Pos | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Milano | LB | 10 | 9 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop | S | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Poyer | S | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre’Davious White | CB | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
New England Patriots
| Player | Pos | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylinn Hawkins | S | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marcus Jones | CB | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Gibbens | LB | 9 | 4 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Christian Elliss | LB | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Milano’s two sacks both forced punts when the Patriots needed to sustain drives. Milano led Buffalo’s defense at 10 total tackles, earning an 82.0 grade from Pro Football Focus.
“He was vibing out there,” McDermott said. “Bobby made those two calls and Matt cashed in. It was good to see. He’s been working his tail off to get himself back to where he was today.”
Tre’Davious White’s interception on third-and-25 shifted momentum permanently toward Buffalo. The veteran cornerback read Drake Maye’s eyes on a deep attempt to Mack Hollins, broke on the ball, and secured the takeaway at Buffalo’s nine-yard line. The play stopped a Patriots drive at Buffalo’s 42, and two plays later Allen hit Dalton Kincaid for 24 yards to flip field position.
White’s 91.3 grade from PFF was the highest on either defense. He finished with two tackles, one tackle for loss, two pass deflections, and the interception.
Ray Davis Provides Field Position Edge
Buffalo’s kick return game created short fields for their offense throughout the second half. Davis averaged 41.0 yards on four returns.
| Player | Team | Returns | Yards | Avg | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Davis (KR) | BUF | 4 | 164 | 41.0 | 58 |
| Khalil Shakir (PR) | BUF | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 12 |
| Kyle Williams (KR) | NE | 4 | 97 | 24.3 | 26 |
| Marcus Jones (PR) | NE | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 3 |
Davis’s 58-yard return to open the second half set up Buffalo at New England’s 44-yard line. The drive ended in Allen’s four-yard touchdown pass to Knox, cutting the deficit to 24-14. Davis recorded three returns of 35-plus yards, tying the most by a Bills player in a game since 1991, according to official team statistics.
The second-year running back entered Sunday leading the NFL at 30.6 yards per kickoff return. Davis finished the game averaging 32.4 yards per return, including one touchdown this season.
Five Straight Scoring Drives Complete Historic Comeback
New England built their 21-0 lead on the strength of Drake Maye’s legs and TreVeyon Henderson’s speed. Maye rushed for touchdowns of eight and seven yards in the first quarter before Henderson broke free for 52 yards midway through the second quarter.
Buffalo’s response started late in the first half when James Cook caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Allen with 1:56 remaining. New England added Andy Borregales’ 36-yard field goal for a 24-7 halftime advantage, but the Bills took complete control after intermission.
Buffalo’s five consecutive touchdown drives after halftime:
- Knox 4-yard reception (3Q, 11:29): Ray Davis’ 58-yard kickoff return set up excellent field position
- Cook 3-yard run (3Q, 3:49): Bills drove 70 yards in 11 plays after forcing a three-and-out
- Knox 14-yard reception (4Q, 10:03): Allen converted fourth-and-three to Shakir for 37 yards earlier in the drive
- Henderson 65-yard run (4Q, 9:49): New England answered Buffalo’s go-ahead score in 14 seconds
- Cook 11-yard run (4Q, 6:48): Bills responded to Henderson’s score with a seven-play, 65-yard drive
“Score, stop, score. That’s what we did coming out,” Allen said. “We don’t want to continue to put ourselves in the holes we’re finding ourselves in, but being able to dig ourselves out and be battle tested coming down the stretch here.”
The 21-point rally ranks as the third-largest comeback in Bills franchise history and the largest by a visiting team at Gillette Stadium. New England had won 120 consecutive home games when holding at least a 17-point lead, a streak dating to 1978.
Buffalo’s third down efficiency improved dramatically after halftime, converting crucial attempts to sustain drives. The Bills punted just once in the second half while New England failed to convert on their lone fourth-down attempt, a pass that Joey Bosa batted down with 1:56 remaining.
Red Zone Success vs. Failures
Buffalo converted five of six red zone opportunities into touchdowns while New England scored on just two of three trips.
The Bills scored touchdowns on their first four red zone attempts after halftime. Their lone red zone failure occurred in the first half when they punted from New England’s 41-yard line. Buffalo’s offensive line created push in short-yardage situations, allowing Cook to score from three yards and 11 yards out.
New England scored touchdowns on both red zone trips in the first half through Maye’s rushing ability. After halftime, the Patriots reached the red zone just once, settling for no points as Buffalo’s defense stiffened.
Buffalo’s 57% third down conversion rate (8 of 14) compared favorably to New England’s 50% (5 of 10). The Patriots converted just two third downs after halftime while Buffalo succeeded on multiple third-and-long attempts.
Division Race Remains Tight
Buffalo improved to 10-4 while New England fell to 11-3, keeping the AFC East race open. The Bills trail by one game entering the season’s final three contests, needing to win out and receive help from either the Jets or Dolphins to claim their sixth consecutive division title.
Post-game update: Both teams have since secured playoff berths. New England clinched their spot with a 28-24 victory over Baltimore in Week 16 on December 21. Buffalo visits Cleveland next before hosting the Jets and Dolphins to close the regular season.
Buffalo has now rallied from double-digit deficits three times in 2025, previously coming back from 15 points down against Baltimore in Week 1 and 10 points against Cincinnati in Week 14. The Bills’ 25-4 record in December and January games since 2020 leads the NFL.
Buffalo’s resilience proves they can overcome poor starts against elite competition. New England’s second-half collapse revealed defensive issues. The Patriots allowed 28 second-half points after giving up just seven before halftime.
Individual Milestones
Sean McDermott earned his 96th victory in his first nine seasons as Bills head coach, tying Paul Brown for second-most by an NFL coach in that span. Buffalo has reached 10 wins in seven consecutive seasons, the league’s longest active streak.
Henderson joined Chris Johnson and Jim Brown as the only players recording multiple games in a season featuring two rushing touchdowns of 50-plus yards. Henderson accomplished this twice in 2025, previously at Tampa Bay on November 9.
Game Summary
Buffalo’s 35-31 comeback victory marked the third-largest rally in franchise history. Allen’s three touchdown passes and Cook’s 107 rushing yards led the offense. Milano’s two sacks anchored the defense. Henderson’s 148 yards on 14 carries couldn’t secure the win for New England despite their first-half dominance. The Bills converted 83% of red zone opportunities into touchdowns while New England managed just 67%. Buffalo’s five consecutive scoring drives after halftime completed the largest comeback by a visiting team at Gillette Stadium, snapping New England’s 120-game home winning streak when leading by 17-plus points.
