BSJ Game Report: Bills 35, Patriots 23 - NE fights hard but two KO return TDs couldn't be overcome

Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ loss to the Bills in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Patriots' season is over: With New England falling 35-23 in Buffalo, it needed the Dolphins and Steelers to both lose their finales, and neither happened (Dolphins took the AFC's final playoff spot). The Patriots finished the season 8-9, their second losing season and third-place finish in the AFC East in three seasons. 

The Patriots finished as the AFC's 9th seed, 6-6 in the conference and 3-3 in the division.

The Patriots are now 25-26 since Tom Brady left following the 2019 season.

Buffalo returns two kickoffs for touchdowns: Nyheim Hines opened the game with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and had a 101-yard return score midway through the third quarter. In the end, those two plays were the difference. The Patriots so lacked confidence in their kickoff coverage unit that they squib-kicked — out of bounds — in the fourth quarter.

“I’ve been playing this game a long time and never been a part of something like that," said Matthew Slater. "As a captain of that unit, feel like we cost the team the game.”

Patriots did not wilt in charged environment, battled until the end: With all the motion on Buffalo's side after the Damar Hamlin situation this week, it would have been easy for a team to travel up into that environment, fall behind 7-0 on the opening kickoff and pack it in.

But the Patriots kept coming back on offense and defense. Josh Allen only had 96 yards at halftime, and the Patriots forced three punts and two turnovers from their nemesis. 

On offense, the Patriots had four drives of at least 60 yards and three of them ended in touchdown passes from Mac Jones — 74, 74 and 90 yards.

"The fight of this team; there are a lot of guys in that locker room that I would play with any day,” Devin McCourty said.

Turnovers also costly: Mac Jones and the offense did a lot of good things, finally, in this game as Jones was 26 of 40 for 243 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had three interceptions — two costly in the red zone. The first to Nelson Agholor seemed to be a miscommunication with Jones. The second to Hunter Henry was in a tough spot and ended up in a lucky Bills pick. The third was a sloppy pass with Damien Harris.

Did Jones think that he made progress this year?

"No," he said, bluntly.

Matthew Slater, Devin McCourty may have played final games: Slater was very emotional after the game and had to pause a few times to collect himself.

"I've given it everything I have," he said. "My dad told me when I was young that if I wanted to play the game there was a certain way to go about it. I tried to make him proud and represent his name the right way, because that's how he did it."

Slater on McCourty: "No one I've ever played with has impacted my life more. Simple as that."

McCourty had an interception and a fumble recovery in perhaps his final game.

"Being in these moments, you don't want to walk away and not speak about what people meant to me, and Matt has been phenomenal for me," McCourty said.

2023 schedule finalized: We think this is right, but don't make reservations quite yet.

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SECOND GUESS

The Jake Bailey suspension, which Belichick wouldn't address after the game. Bailey's agent said he was ready to play but was informed he was being suspended. Think they could have used his deep kickoffs today?

TURNING POINT

Patriots were trailing 28-23 with 8:59 left when the Bills faced 3rd and 10 at the New England 49-yard line. Then Allen and Stefon Diggs did this.

THREE UP

Devin McCourty: Had a red zone interception and fumble recovery in perhaps his final game.

Matthew Judon: Didn't have a sack on the stat sheet but he seemed to be impactful all game, and forced the red zone interception of Allen.

DeVante Parker: What a difference his physical presence makes on the outside. Had six catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

THREE DOWN

Special teams: Two kickoff returns for touchdowns, a 28-yard punt to the 19-yard line from Michael Palardy ... an embarrassing performance.

Nelson Agholor: Zero catches and his one target resulted in an interception when he really didn't fight for the ball. 

Myles Bryant: Had another game in coverage against the Bills he would like to forget.

INJURIES

Matthew Judon: Returned to the game.

Kyle Dugger: Returned to the game.

Julius Peppers: Returned to the game.

Conor McDermott (lower leg): Returned to the game.

Mike Onwenu: Returned to the game.

TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

Now the hard work begins: We laid out an offseason overview this morning, and it will be very interesting to see how things transpire once the work is concluded on this season in a couple of days, and they start on the future — with a Belichick and Robert Kraft meeting the most crucial piece of the offseason.

One benefit of the Patriots' season being over — Belichick can get to fixing the coaching staff and not miss out on any candidates. There's no excuse for him not to get this right now.

Well, you can't say we're wrong about everything: Usually when I predict the Patriots' record before the season, I'm one game optimistic (has happened all but the Cam Newton/Covid season since we opened BSJ). This year, I got the 8-9 record right ... and a lot of things about this season which basically boiled down to this: the power of Bill Belichick has its limits, and this season proved that.