The Patriots beat the Bills 29–26 in Buffalo, moving to 2–2. The Bills fell to 3–1. It was an upset by the records: the Patriots came in at 1–2, the Bills at 3–0.
For the Patriots, Drake Maye went 22-for-37 for 269 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. Rhamondre Stevenson ran for 47 yards on 13 carries and scored a touchdown. Hunter Henry caught 5 passes for 62 yards.
For the Bills, Josh Allen went 23-for-33 for 253 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. James Cook ran for 75 yards on 12 carries and scored a touchdown. Keon Coleman caught 6 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, Craig Woodson (Patriots) had an interception and Dee Alford (Bills) had an interception.
Recaps are written automatically from the final score and box score: player stats from nflverse (CC BY 4.0).
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye against Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Lineups as listed before kickoff (Patriots: Oct 4, 2026, 9:09 AM ET; Bills: Oct 4, 2026, 9:09 AM ET).
Patriots in this game: shotgun 46%, under center 54%, pistol 0% · one back 68%, two backs 28%, empty 4% · motion 77% (74 charted snaps).
As the team lists it: three receivers, one tight end and one running back. Quarterback shown under center, where the Patriots lined him up on most snaps.
LDE#98 T.J. Sanders Doubtful (illness)Next up: Landon Jackson
NT#96 Deone WalkerNext up: Greg Gaines
RDE#91 Ed OliverNext up: DeWayne Carter
WLB#15 Greg RousseauNext up: Michael Hoecht
LILB#42 Dorian WilliamsNext up: Kaleb Elarms-Orr
RILB#8 Terrel BernardNext up: Joe Andreessen
SLB#9 Bradley ChubbNext up: TJ Parker
LCB#47 Christian Benford Questionable (toe)Next up: Davison Igbinosun
SS#24 Cole BishopNext up: Damar Hamlin
FS#22 C.J. Gardner-JohnsonNext up: Sam Franklin Jr.
RCB#1 Maxwell HairstonNext up: Te'Cory Couch
Two tight ends: the top two receivers stay on the field and the second tight end lines up on the left end. Quarterback shown under center, where the Patriots lined him up on most snaps. Players beyond the listed starters come from the depth-chart order: this is who is most likely in, not a team announcement.
Patriots offense, 2 TE
LT#66 Will CampbellNext up: Dametrious Crownover
LG#75 Alijah Vera-TuckerNext up: Matt Pryor
C#55 Jared WilsonNext up: Ben Brown
RG#72 Walter RouseNext up: Ben Brown
RT#76 Morgan Moses Questionable (foot)Next up: Caleb Lomu
LDE#98 T.J. Sanders Doubtful (illness)Next up: Landon Jackson
NT#96 Deone WalkerNext up: Greg Gaines
RDE#91 Ed OliverNext up: DeWayne Carter
WLB#15 Greg RousseauNext up: Michael Hoecht
LILB#42 Dorian WilliamsNext up: Kaleb Elarms-Orr
RILB#8 Terrel BernardNext up: Joe Andreessen
SLB#9 Bradley ChubbNext up: TJ Parker
LCB#47 Christian Benford Questionable (toe)Next up: Davison Igbinosun
SS#24 Cole BishopNext up: Damar Hamlin
FS#22 C.J. Gardner-JohnsonNext up: Sam Franklin Jr.
RCB#1 Maxwell HairstonNext up: Te'Cory Couch
I-formation: two receivers and one tight end, with the quarterback under center and a fullback and running back stacked behind him. Two-back sets: 28% of snaps in this game. Players beyond the listed starters come from the depth-chart order: this is who is most likely in, not a team announcement.
Patriots offense, I-form
LT#66 Will CampbellNext up: Dametrious Crownover
LG#75 Alijah Vera-TuckerNext up: Matt Pryor
C#55 Jared WilsonNext up: Ben Brown
RG#72 Walter RouseNext up: Ben Brown
RT#76 Morgan Moses Questionable (foot)Next up: Caleb Lomu
LDE#98 T.J. Sanders Doubtful (illness)Next up: Landon Jackson
NT#96 Deone WalkerNext up: Greg Gaines
RDE#91 Ed OliverNext up: DeWayne Carter
WLB#15 Greg RousseauNext up: Michael Hoecht
LILB#42 Dorian WilliamsNext up: Kaleb Elarms-Orr
RILB#8 Terrel BernardNext up: Joe Andreessen
SLB#9 Bradley ChubbNext up: TJ Parker
LCB#47 Christian Benford Questionable (toe)Next up: Davison Igbinosun
SS#24 Cole BishopNext up: Damar Hamlin
FS#22 C.J. Gardner-JohnsonNext up: Sam Franklin Jr.
RCB#1 Maxwell HairstonNext up: Te'Cory Couch
Four receivers and no tight end: the next receiver on the depth chart comes in. Quarterback shown under center, where the Patriots lined him up on most snaps. Empty-backfield sets: 4% of snaps in this game. Players beyond the listed starters come from the depth-chart order: this is who is most likely in, not a team announcement.
Patriots offense, 4 WR
LT#66 Will CampbellNext up: Dametrious Crownover
LG#75 Alijah Vera-TuckerNext up: Matt Pryor
C#55 Jared WilsonNext up: Ben Brown
RG#72 Walter RouseNext up: Ben Brown
RT#76 Morgan Moses Questionable (foot)Next up: Caleb Lomu
LDE#98 T.J. Sanders Doubtful (illness)Next up: Landon Jackson
NT#96 Deone WalkerNext up: Greg Gaines
RDE#91 Ed OliverNext up: DeWayne Carter
WLB#15 Greg RousseauNext up: Michael Hoecht
LILB#42 Dorian WilliamsNext up: Kaleb Elarms-Orr
RILB#8 Terrel BernardNext up: Joe Andreessen
SLB#9 Bradley ChubbNext up: TJ Parker
LCB#47 Christian Benford Questionable (toe)Next up: Davison Igbinosun
SS#24 Cole BishopNext up: Damar Hamlin
FS#22 C.J. Gardner-JohnsonNext up: Sam Franklin Jr.
RCB#1 Maxwell HairstonNext up: Te'Cory Couch
Defense shown in its base front.
Bills offense vs Patriots defense
Bills in this game: shotgun 54%, under center 46%, pistol 0% · one back 64%, two backs 24%, empty 12% · motion 69% (59 charted snaps).
As the team lists it: three receivers, one tight end and one running back. Quarterback shown in the shotgun, where the Bills lined him up on most snaps.
RCB#0 Christian Gonzalez Out (shoulder)Next up: Karon Prunty
Two tight ends: the top two receivers stay on the field and the second tight end lines up on the left end. Quarterback shown in the shotgun, where the Bills lined him up on most snaps. Players beyond the listed starters come from the depth-chart order: this is who is most likely in, not a team announcement.
Bills offense, 2 TE
LT#73 Dion DawkinsNext up: Jude Bowry
LG#70 Alec AndersonNext up: Austin Corbett
C#66 Connor McGovernNext up: Lloyd Cushenberry III
RCB#0 Christian Gonzalez Out (shoulder)Next up: Karon Prunty
I-formation: two receivers and one tight end, with the quarterback under center and a fullback and running back stacked behind him. Two-back sets: 24% of snaps in this game. Players beyond the listed starters come from the depth-chart order: this is who is most likely in, not a team announcement. No fullback on the depth chart, so the second tight end, Dawson Knox, is shown at fullback.
Bills offense, I-form
LT#73 Dion DawkinsNext up: Jude Bowry
LG#70 Alec AndersonNext up: Austin Corbett
C#66 Connor McGovernNext up: Lloyd Cushenberry III
RCB#0 Christian Gonzalez Out (shoulder)Next up: Karon Prunty
Four receivers and no tight end: the next receiver on the depth chart comes in. Quarterback shown in the shotgun, where the Bills lined him up on most snaps. Empty-backfield sets: 12% of snaps in this game. Players beyond the listed starters come from the depth-chart order: this is who is most likely in, not a team announcement.
Bills offense, 4 WR
LT#73 Dion DawkinsNext up: Jude Bowry
LG#70 Alec AndersonNext up: Austin Corbett
C#66 Connor McGovernNext up: Lloyd Cushenberry III