Mac Jones’ late TD pass lifts Patriots over Bills 29-25; Bill Belichick is 3rd coach with 300 wins
New England Patriots tight end Mike Gesicki, center, celebrates with teammates after his touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Mac Jones threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki with 12 seconds remaining to lift the New England Patriots to a 29-25 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, making Bill Belichick the third coach in NFL history with 300 regular-season victories.
Belichick joins Pro Football Hall of Famers Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318) as the only coaches to reach the milestone.
Jones completed 25 of 30 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots (2-5) snapped a three-game skid. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for a score and rookie Chad Ryland added three field goals to help the Patriots beat back a second-half rally by Buffalo (4-3), which briefly took the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Josh Allen was 27 of 41 for 265 yards with two TDs and ran for a score. He also threw an interception that set up New England’s first touchdown. The Bills struggled on third down and scored touchdowns on only two of their four red-zone opportunities.
Trailing 22-10 in the fourth, the Bills needed just over two minutes to complete a five-play, 75-yard drive. Allen found Stefon Diggs for a 25-yard touchdown with 5:32 remaining.
On the Patriots’ ensuing series, Jones completed a 9-yard pass to Kendrick Bourne, but Jordan Poyer poked the ball free from behind, giving the Bills the ball at the Patriots 29.
Buffalo converted a fourth-and-2 to set up a first-and-goal at the 4. Allen scored on a sneak two plays later, then connected with Dawson Knox for the 2-point conversion to make it 25-22.
Jones began the decisive drive with a short pass to Rhamondre Stevenson that turned into a 34-yard gain. He hit Hunter Harvey for 14 yards on a third-and-8, and the Patriots had a first-and-goal after six plays. A pass-interference penalty set them up at the Buffalo 1, and Jones connected with Gesicki on second down.
Buffalo trailed 13-3 at halftime. Allen directed an 81-yard scoring drive on the first possession of the second half, finding James Cook for an 8-yard touchdown.
New England led 16-10 early in the fourth quarter when the Bills went for it on fourth-and-2 at the Patriots 33. Ja’Whaun Bentley knocked away Allen’s pass to Dawson Knox.
That set up a nine-play, 66-yard scoring drive for the Patriots. Jones connected with Kendrick Bourne for a 22-10 lead. New England’s 2-point try failed.
INJURIES
Patriots: LB Anfernee Jennings jogged off the field after being shaken up following a hit on Latavius Murray in the third quarter. … LT Trent Brown left with a knee injury. … RT Vederian Lowe left with an ankle injury.
PHOTOS
