The new england patriots vs buffalo bills match player stats from October 5, 2025, revealed an upset for the ages at Highmark Stadium. Patriots pulled off a stunning 23-20 victory over the previously undefeated Bills, powered by Stefon Diggs’ career performance against his former team and Drake Maye’s clutch fourth-quarter heroics.
Table of contents
Final Score and Top Performers
New England secured the road win with Andy Borregales nailing a 52-yard field goal with just 15 seconds remaining. Stefon Diggs dominated with 10 receptions for 146 yards, while Rhamondre Stevenson punched in two rushing touchdowns to lift the Patriots. For Buffalo, Josh Allen completed 22 of 31 passes for 253 yards with two touchdowns, but his two turnovers proved costly in the narrow defeat.
Quarterback Stats Breakdown
Drake Maye (New England)
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Completions/Attempts | 22/30 |
| Passing Yards | 273 |
| Completion Percentage | 73.3% |
| Passing Touchdowns | 0 |
| Interceptions | 0 |
| Passer Rating | N/A |
| Second Half Stats | 13/14, 184 yards |
Maye’s second-half performance was nothing short of spectacular. The young quarterback went 13 of 14 for 184 yards after halftime, orchestrating three scoring drives to keep New England in the game. His most impressive throw came on the final drive when he escaped defensive tackle DaQuan Jones’ grasp and found Diggs for a crucial 12-yard completion.
“You know this was his storybook,” Maye said about Diggs after the game. “Coming back here first game, prime time, you could see it all week. He just loves football. He’s got a lot in the tank left, so it’s good he’s a Patriot.”
Josh Allen (Buffalo)
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Completions/Attempts | 22/31 |
| Passing Yards | 253 |
| Completion Percentage | 71.0% |
| Passing Touchdowns | 2 |
| Interceptions | 1 |
| Rushing Yards | 53 |
| Fumbles Lost | 1 |
Allen, last season’s MVP, threw touchdown passes to Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel but committed two critical turnovers that derailed Buffalo’s perfect start. His rushing yardage (53 yards) actually exceeded running back James Cook’s output for the first time this season, highlighting the Bills’ ground game struggles.
Receiving Stats
Patriots Receiving Leaders
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Longest | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stefon Diggs | 10 | 146 | N/A | 0 |
| Hunter Henry | 1 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| Antonio Gibson | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
Diggs put on an absolute clinic in his return to Buffalo. The veteran wideout hauled in 10 catches for 146 yards, with 119 of those yards coming in the second half when the game hung in the balance. This performance followed his six-catch, 101-yard showing the previous week against Carolina, proving he still has plenty left despite recovering from a torn ACL that ended his 2024 season with Houston.
“It was lit, prime time,” Diggs said postgame, reflecting on his emotional homecoming where he set nearly every single-season franchise receiving record during his four-year tenure with Buffalo from 2020-2024.
Bills Receiving Leaders
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Longest | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton Kincaid | 3 | 48 | N/A | 0 |
| Curtis Samuel | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| Keon Coleman | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Buffalo’s receiving corps struggled to find rhythm against New England’s defense. Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman each found the end zone, but the Bills couldn’t sustain drives when it mattered most.
Rushing Performance
Patriots Ground Game
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 5 | 18 | 3.6 | 2 |
| Antonio Gibson | 6 | 21 | 3.5 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 0 |
Stevenson’s two short-yardage touchdowns proved to be the difference maker. The Patriots running back scored from 4 yards out in both the third and fourth quarters, showcasing his value in goal-line situations even when his overall yardage total remained modest.
Bills Ground Game
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook | 15 | 49 | 3.3 | 0 |
| Josh Allen | 4 | 32 | 8.0 | 0 |
Cook entered the game averaging over 100 yards per contest with a touchdown streak spanning eight games. New England’s defense completely shut down the Bills’ star back, holding him under 50 yards for the first time all season and snapping his touchdown streak. This marked Buffalo’s first game with Cook held under 100 yards from scrimmage in 2025.
Defensive Standouts
The Patriots defense deserves massive credit for this road victory. Marcus Jones made the play of the game with his red zone interception of Allen in the fourth quarter, undercutting a route to stall a promising Bills drive.
According to reports, the Bills committed 11 accepted penalties for 90 yards, constantly putting themselves behind the chains. These self-inflicted wounds, combined with three turnovers, proved too much to overcome even at home.
Damarion Thompson recorded four tackles and one sack for Buffalo, chasing down Maye for a loss of two yards late in the fourth quarter. However, it wasn’t enough to flip the momentum back to the home team.
Special Teams Impact
Andy Borregales hit the game-winning 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds left, capping off a clutch 37-yard drive engineered by Maye. The Patriots kicker also connected on field goals from 30 and 19 yards earlier in the contest.
Matt Prater answered for Buffalo with field goals of 31 and 45 yards, but the Bills’ offense stalled too many times in the red zone to truly threaten New England’s defense.
First Half Struggles
The opening two quarters were a comedy of errors for both teams. Five punts, four fumbles (three lost), and just nine combined points painted the picture of two squads playing far below their capabilities.
Buffalo led 3-0 after the first quarter before New England took a 6-3 halftime advantage. Neither team found the end zone in the first 30 minutes, with the Patriots settling for two field goals after failing to capitalize on good field position.
Allen completed 9 of 11 passes for 100 yards in the first half while adding 32 rushing yards, but his fumble deep in New England territory killed Buffalo’s best scoring opportunity. Maye went 9 of 16 for 89 yards before halftime, with both quarterbacks struggling to find any offensive rhythm.
Game-Changing Moments
Third Quarter Awakening
The second half opened with both teams finally finding the end zone. Buffalo drove 66 yards on 10 plays, with Allen hitting Samuel for a 6-yard touchdown to give the Bills a 10-6 lead.
New England responded immediately with their best drive of the night. Maye connected on several key passes before Stevenson powered in from 4 yards out to reclaim the lead at 13-10.
Fourth Quarter Drama
The Patriots extended their advantage to 20-10 after Allen’s red zone interception led to a 90-yard scoring drive capped by Stevenson’s second touchdown. Buffalo appeared in serious trouble for the first time all season.
But Allen showed why he’s the reigning MVP, leading a touchdown drive that saw Coleman haul in a score with 7:37 remaining to cut the deficit to 20-17.
After the teams traded field goals, Maye took over. The second-year quarterback led the decisive 37-yard drive with ice in his veins, converting a crucial third down with his completion to Diggs before Borregales sealed the upset.
Historical Context
This loss snapped Buffalo’s 14-game home winning streak, falling one game short of the franchise record. The Bills last lost at Highmark Stadium on November 13, 2023, when Denver escaped with a 24-22 victory.
Buffalo and Philadelphia entered Week 5 as the NFL’s only undefeated teams at 4-0. The Eagles also fell that day to Denver, marking the first time since 2014 that no team started 5-0 in a season. Only seven times since the 1970 merger has the league gone without a 5-0 team.
Coach Sean McDermott didn’t mince words about Buffalo’s performance: “I thought we beat ourselves. Just not enough complementary football. Just didn’t seem like we were into a rhythm offensively enough. And when we did, we had penalties, self-inflicted wounds early on in the game.”
AFC East Implications
New England moved to 3-2 with this victory, pulling within one game of Buffalo (4-1) in the AFC East standings. More importantly, the Patriots now hold a crucial head-to-head tiebreaker over the five-time defending division champions.
This game showcased the changing of the guard in the division. While Buffalo still leads the race, New England proved they belong in the conversation with a young quarterback in Maye showing poise beyond his years.
Advanced Stats and Trends
The Bills entered this contest averaging over 30 points per game and limiting opponents to under 100 yards rushing. New England managed just 58 rushing yards total but controlled time of possession in the second half with methodical drives.
Buffalo’s 20 points marked just the fourth time since the start of 2024 that they scored 20 or fewer. The Patriots capitalized on every Buffalo mistake, converting turnovers into 10 points.
Allen’s interception was particularly costly. The MVP had been protecting the football all season, making the red zone turnover all the more surprising. Marcus Jones’ awareness to undercut the route changed the entire complexion of the game.
Injury Report
Antonio Gibson left the game after sustaining a knee injury while returning a kickoff six minutes into the second quarter and did not return. Connor McGovern returned after having tests on his hand, providing some relief for Buffalo’s offensive line.
Matt Milano did not return after aggravating a pectoral injury that had already forced him to miss the previous two games. Ed Oliver missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained ankle, weakening Buffalo’s defensive front.
Looking Ahead
The Patriots continued their three-game road swing with a trip to New Orleans the following Sunday, while Buffalo prepared for a Monday Night Football showdown at Atlanta on October 13.
New England carried serious momentum from this upset, proving their young core could compete with the AFC’s elite. Maye’s development continued trending upward, and Diggs looked every bit like the dominant receiver he was during his prime in Buffalo.
For more comprehensive match analysis and player statistics from around the league, fans can track every game and performance throughout the 2025 season.
Final Takeaways
The new england patriots vs buffalo bills match player stats from this Sunday night thriller demonstrated that sometimes clutch plays matter more than total yardage. While Buffalo outgained New England in several categories, the Patriots made plays when it counted most.
Diggs’ homecoming tour couldn’t have been scripted better. The veteran showed out on prime time, torching his former team with 119 second-half receiving yards to set up the game-winning drive.
Maye proved he can handle pressure situations, going nearly perfect in the second half and orchestrating the decisive scoring drive with just over two minutes remaining. For a young quarterback, that’s the kind of performance that builds championship confidence.
Buffalo learned that talent alone doesn’t guarantee victory. The 11 penalties and three turnovers were uncharacteristic of a McDermott-coached team, and those mistakes cost them their perfect record.
This AFC East battle lived up to the hype, delivering drama, controversy, and clutch performances that will be remembered throughout the 2025 season. The rivalry between these division foes only intensified with this result, setting up potentially explosive rematches down the stretch.
