Patriots keep rolling as Dion Lewis, Rob Gronkowski lead way in win over Bills

Dec 24, 2017 • 11:08 am

FOXBOROUGH — On Christmas Eve, the Patriots weren’t in a giving mood.

New England roared back Sunday with 24 straight second-half points to turn a tight game into a blowout, eventually coming away with a 37-16 win over the Bills and taking another step toward home-field advantage in the AFC postseason picture.

The Patriots leaned on the combination of Dion Lewis and Rob Gronkowski in the victory. The undersized running back finished with 24 carries for 129 yards (with career highs) and a pair of touchdowns. Meanwhile, Gronkowski — who was at the heart of a controversy because of a late hit the last time these two teams met — finished with five catches for 67 yards and a touchdown of his own. And Tom Brady wrapped things up by going 21-for-28 for 224 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

On the other side of the ball, Tyrod Taylor ended up 21-for-38 for 281 yards, while LeSean McCoy had 17 carries for 71 yards for Buffalo.

The occasionally sluggish New England offense struggled to find some rhythm in the early going, as the Patriots fell behind by scores of 10-3 (after a rare Brady pick-six in the second quarter) and 16-13.

But the Patriots were able to respond with 24 straight points to seize command. New England took the lead for good on a 1-yard touchdown run from Mike Gillislee with 55 seconds left in the third quarter to make it 23-16. The Patriots stretched their lead to 30-16 shortly after that when Lewis scampered for his first touchdown of the afternoon, a 12-yard burst to make it 30-16 with 9:27 left in regulation. They tacked on another score late in the fourth when Lewis added another touchdown from four yards out to make it 37-16 with just under four minutes to go.

Game updates from Price...

3:53 p.m.: Dion Lewis in from four yards out, and this thing is pretty much done. 24 carries for 129 yards for Lewis. A career high.

3:46 p.m.: Rob Gronkowski is still in the game. There have been no attempted cheap shots, at least as far as I can tell.

3:42 p.m.: If the Patriots hold on here, they can clinch a first-round bye if Pittsburgh loses or Jacksonville ties or loses. New England can land home-field if Pittsburgh and Jacksonville lose or Jacksonville ties.

3:35 p.m.: Brady's 30th touchdown pass of the year goes to Dion Lewis. It's 30-16 with 9:27 left in the game, and they're playing "Josie" here at Gillette Stadium. Merry Christmas, everyone.

3:32 p.m.: Starting to feel that creeping inevitability that usually happens in these games in Foxboro at this time of year...

3:28 p.m.: No good on that 50-yarder. Pats get the ball back.

3:27 p.m.: This feels like a game-defining moment coming up here.

3:23 p.m.: Gilmore gives up that 35-yarder to Benjamin, and the Bills offense is back in business. Third quarter is done, and Pats are up 23-16.

3:19 p.m.: ....and Mike Gillislee punches it in from a yard out. 23-16 with 55 seconds left in the third quarter. Nice to see so many of his teammates congratulate Gillislee on his TD, his first since Week 2 against the Saints. Has five carries for 29 yards and a touchdown.

3:16 p.m.: Gronkowski draws a DPI to get the Pats to the goal line.

3:11 p.m.: Really nice 3-and-out posted there by the New England defense. Should have good field position to start this drive.

3:10 p.m.: Sack for Brown, followed up by a run stuff. He's on a bit of a streak.

3:06 p.m.: 34-yard field goal is good. 16-16 with 5:08 left in the third quarter. Missed chance there by the Patriots. Cooks' reception on that drive put him over 1,000 yards on the season.

3:04 p.m.: Pats with a red-zone chance of their own here.

3:02 p.m.: And it goes back to the Patriots. Whatever they're paying Ernie Adams, it's not enough.

2:59 p.m.: Belichick is challenging the spot.

2:58 p.m.: Boy, this is a weird game. No rhythm. Pats miss out on that fourth down.

2:57 p.m.: Pats back in Buffalo territory.

2:56 p.m.: Gronkowski gets the chains moving.

2:51 p.m.: Buffalo went from the cusp of putting up seven to lucky to be getting three. Sheesh. 30-yarder is good, and it's 16-13 with 10:21 left in the third quarter. If the Bills end up losing this by seven or so, they're going to be able to look back on a lot of missed opportunities -- 0-for-4 in the red zone.

2:50 p.m.: Bills in the red zone.

2:49 p.m.: No one knows nothin about nothin.

2:32 p.m.: Dion Lewis: 10 carries, 46 yards
Brady: 12-19, 119, 1 TD, 1 INT
Gronkowski: 3 catches, 33 yards, 1 TD

2:31 p.m.: TD is taken off the board, so the Bills settle for a 23-yard field goal to tie the game at 13 at halftime.

2:28 p.m.: Benjamin with a nice catch in the corner of the end zone.

2:25 p.m.: Another great catch for Thompson. And a bad penalty for Butler.

2:24 p.m.: Benjamin looking sharper than he did earlier this afternoon.

2:22 p.m.: Good start for Flowers. Second of the day.

2:14 p.m.: Pats going for the FG here. 40-yarder is good. 13-10 with 1:55 left in the first half.

2:10 p.m.: Two-minute warning. Tied at 10. Pats have the ball on the Buffalo 22.

2:07 p.m.: Cooks looking like David Patten drawing that DPI there.

2:06 p.m.: THE KEVIN FAULK DIRECT SNAP. Six yards and a first down.

2:03 p.m.: Thought here? Get seven and run the clock down to the end of the first half.

1:58 p.m.: Some thoughts there on that drive -- Gronkowski is such an overwhelming presence when he and Brady get in that zone. He can just physically box guys out and get position so easily that the only way for a defensive back to try and stop him is to hold his arms. That's one of the things that I think people really don't get about Gronkowski -- he's got the size, but he's also fully aware of how to use it, moreso than most humans who check in at 6-foot-6 and 270-something.

1:56 p.m.: Smart, high-percentage throw there to Gronkowski. 17-yarder. Tied at 10 with 7:06 left in the second quarter.