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Tom Brady threw four interceptions and Rian Lindell kicked a game-winning field goal as the Buffalo Bills snapped a 15-game losing streak against the New England Patriots, edging the Pats, 34-31, on Sunday afternoon at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The Patriots have lost their grip on first place in the AFC East as they lost their battle with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon, losing 34-31 after blowing a significant three touchdown lead early in the game.
Tom Brady went 30/45 for 387 yards, 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, matching his 2010 regular season interception total in this one game. Ryan Fitzpatrick countered 369 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions as he led his team to their first victory over the Patriots since 2003, ending the 15 straight losses to their divisional opponent and adding their second win ever against Brady.
It looked like the Patriots were set to roll through Buffalo as they drove 80 yards down the field in their first possession to score on a touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Wes Welker. They followed that up with two Rob Gronkowski touchdowns to take a 21-0 lead with 6 minutes left in the 2nd quarter.
Ryan Fitzpatrick then put his team on the board for the first time in the game with an 11 yard touchdown pass to go-to man Stevie Johnson after an impressive 7 play, 96 yard drive. The Bills also managed to stop the Pats from scoring again and closed the gap to 21-10 on a 42 yard Rian Lindell field goal before halftime.
The second half, things unraveled for the Pats as Brady threw three of his four interceptions looking rattled and under and over-throwing his receivers across the middle. He did throw a perfect deep pass right into the hands of Chad Ochocinco on a break-away down the seam in the fourth quarter that may have been the game-saver for the Pats, but Ocho bobbled the ball and the pass was incomplete.
Instead, the offense ate up tons of precious time on the clock driving further down the field and taking four down attempts on the Buffalo 1 yard line to finally get the tying touchdown to pass to Welker.
Fitzpatrick and the Bills maintained possession for the rest of the game, kicking the game-winning field goal with :01 left on the clock after running it down.
The bright spot for the Patriots was Wes Welker’s career performance, as he had an astounding 16 receptions for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Patriots will spend the week recovering from the loss and preparing for their trip to Oakland for a 4:15 game against the Raiders.
The Patriots defense has struggled all day and those struggles continued on the Bills final drive as they moved it down inside the one yard line in just 3 plays and then were able to kneel out the clock before kicking the game winning field goal.
Tom Brady finished the game 30/45 for 386 yards to go along with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Wes Welker set a career high with 216 yards receiving on 16 catches.
For Buffalo, Ryan Fitzpatrick went 27/40 for 369 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Fred Jackson contributed 161 total yards (87 receiving, 74 rushing) and one score. Jackson also had the decisive play in the game, catching a 38 yard pass from Fitzpatrick down to the 1 yard line.
The Patriots defense has struggled all day and those struggles continued on the Bills final drive as they moved it down inside the one yard line in just 3 plays and then were able to kneel out the clock before kicking the game winning field goal.
Tom Brady finished the game 30/45 for 386 yards to go along with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Wes Welker set a career high with 216 yards receiving on 16 catches.
For Buffalo, Ryan Fitzpatrick went 27/40 for 369 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Fred Jackson contributed 161 total yards (87 receiving, 74 rushing) and one score. Jackson also had the decisive play in the game, catching a 38 yard pass from Fitzpatrick down to the 1 yard line.
Wes Welker led a desperate drive by the Patriots to tie the game, passing a career high in receiving yards and catching Tom Brady’s fourth touchdown pass of the game.
On fourth and goal from the seven yard line Brady fired the ball to Welker, who fought off two Bills defenders on his way into the end zone. Welker now has 16 catches for 216 yards.
Wes Welker has 15 catches for 210 yards today, a personal best. His previous best was 192 yards.
Tom Brady’s fourth interception of the game was returned 27 yards by Drayton Florence for a touchdown.
Tom Brady threw his third interception of the game, this one in the end zone, and the Bills turned it into the game tying touchdown. After Brady’s pick, the Bills went 95 yards in just two plays, aided by a pass interference call on Sergio Brown in the end zone. Fred Jackson finished the drive off with a 1 yard touchdown run to tie the game.
Wes Welker has 12 catches for 174 yards and a touchdown and has helped keep a number of Patriots offensive drives alive as his team clings to a 24-17 lead at the end of the third quarter in Buffalo.
The Bills capitalized on Tom Brady’s second interception early in the quarter when Ryan Fitzpatrick tossed a three yard score to tight end Scott Chandler to close the gap to just three.
The Patriots ensuing drive helped to re-establish control as they marched from their own 12 all the way to the Bills two before the drive stalled. A 23-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal helped provide the current seven point margin for the Pats.
Tom Brady has been relatively quiet since his fast start, throwing for 336 yards and three touchdowns but also two interceptions.
For the Bills, running back Fred Jackson has started to find his groove after a tough start. He’s up to 71 yards on just nine carries. The Bills came into the game with the league’s best running attack.
Buffalo Bills linebacker Aaron Williams was taken off the field on a stretcher after suffering an apparent head or neck injury while attempting to make a tackle on Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker
Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 23 yard field goal to slow down the growing momentum that the Bills had built following 17 unanswered points. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense moved quickly down the field on a drive that began inside their own 15. On a third and goal, Wes Welker was unable to make the first down marker at the 2 yard line and Bill Belichick opted to settle for a field goal and take a 24-17 lead.
Tom Brady threw his second interception on a pass intended for Chad Ochocinco, and the Bills took advantage for the second time. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a three yard touchdown pass on 3rd and goal to Scott Chandler to cut the Patriots lead to 21-17.
Leodis McKelvin had the interception for Buffalo.
Tom Brady is 16/22 for 222 yards and three touchdowns and the New England Patriots have a 21-10 lead after 30 minutes of play against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The Patriots opened the scoring on their first drive of the game when they marched 80 yards on nine plays and Tom Brady tossed a 14 yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker.
After a Ryan Fitzpatrick interception on the ensuing Bills drive, the Patriots needed only to drive 35 yards for their second score when Brady hooked up with Rob Gronkowski on a 3rd and goal from the one yard line.
The Patriots were unable to turn Fitzpatrick’s second interception of the first half into points, but in the second quarter Brady found Gronkowski again on a 26 yard touchdown pass, capping a five play, 65 yard drive.
The Bills finally got on the scoreboard just after the two minute warning when Fitzpatrick hit Steve Johnson for an 11 yard strike to cap a 96 yard drive that took just 7 plays.
Brady threw his second interception of the season just before the end of the first half, which the Bills were able to turn into a 42 yard field goal.
Wes Welker leads the team in receiving at the half with seven catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. Rob Gronkowski is second in receiving with 71 yards on five catches to go with his two scores.
For the Bills, Fitzpatrick is 20/28 for 224 yards along with one touchdown and two interceptions. Steve Johnson leads the team in receiving with 85 yards and a score. Fred Jackson continues his strong start to the season with 44 yards on the ground and a 7.3 average per carry.
The Patriots drove 65 yards in just five plays for their third touchdown of the game. Tom Brady hooked up with Rob Gronkowski for the second time on a 26 yard touchdown pass. It’s Gronkowski’s second of the game, Brady’s third.
Wes Welker is over 100 yards receiving for the day. He has six catches for 106 yards.
Tom Brady threw a pair of first quarter touchdowns for the New England Patriots and the defense chipped in with a pair of interceptions to help stake them to a 14-0 lead over the Buffalo Bills after the first quarter.
Kyle Arrington has both interceptions for the Patriots, the second coming deep in Patriots territory after Ryan Fitzpatrick had led the Bills on their first sustained drive of the game.
For the Pats, Brady was 8/9 for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Wes Welker was the primary benefactor, catching five passes for 91 yards and one touchdown. Rob Gronkowski caught the other touchdown pass from Brady on a 3rd and goal from the one yard line.
For the Bills, Fred Jackson and their potent running attack has been limited to just 8 yards after the first quarter. Jackson has just two carries.
The Bills leading receiver after one quarter is Steve Johnson who has three catches for 51 yards.
After a Ryan Fitzpatrick interception at mid-field, the Patriots went 35 yards in six plays culminating in a 3rd and goal touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski.
Tom Brady completed all five of his passes on the Patriots opening drive for 75 yards, four of them to Wes Welker including a 14 yarder on 2nd and goal to open up the scoring.
The Buffalo Bills announced that cornerback Terrence McGee, linebacker Kirk Morrison, linebacker Kirk Morrison, defensive back Justin Rogers, tight end Lee Smith, defensive tackle Torell Troup, guard Kraig Urbik, and tackle Sam Young are all inactive for today’s game against the Patriots.
The New England Patriots have announced that safety Patrick Chung (right hand), Albert Haynesworth (back), receiver Taylor Price (hamstring), offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer (back), tight end Aaron Hernandez (knee), defensive lineman Mike Wright (concussion), and cornerback Ras-I Dowling (leg) will all be inactive for today’s match-up with the Buffalo Bills.
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots face Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, New York on Sunday afternoon.
Event: New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills - NFL Regular Season, Week 3.
Date/Time: Sunday, September 25, 2011 - 1:00 p.m. EDT.
Location: Ralph Wilson Stadium (Capacity: 73,079), Orchard Park, NY.
Broadcast Info: Sunday's game between the Patriots and Bills will be aired on CBS (Channel 4), with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms calling all of the action. The game can also be seen on Channel 717 on DIRECTV.
In addition, the game can be heard on WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub, the flagship station of the Patriots. The lengendary duo of Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti will serve as the broadcast team. The game can also be heard on SIRIUS Radio, Channel 86.
Last Week: Tom Brady and the Patriots opened up their home schedule last week with a resounding 35-21 over the San Diego Chargers. Brady had his second consecutive game with at least 400 yards passing and also threw three touchdown passes. Deion Branch led the team in receiving with 172 yards on 10 catches.
Buffalo continued its early season success last week with a wild come from behind win over the Oakland Raiders. After trailing 21-3 at the half, the Bills scored 35 second half points including a game winning touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to David Nelson with just 14 seconds remaining. Fred Jackson powered the Bills offense with 117 yards on the ground along with two scores.
Players To Watch: For the Patriots, the players to will be on the defensive line. The Buffalo Bills have the NFL's top ranked rushing attack, averaging 193 yards per game. With Albert Haynesworth ruled out for today's game, a lot of pressure will be on Shaun Ellis, Vince Wilfork, and Andre Carter to slow down the ground game.
For the Bills, cornerbacks Leodis McKelvin and Drayton Florence will be under the biggest microscope as they attempt to slow down the receivers in the Patriots high powered offense. McKelvin and Florence will be lined up against Wes Welker and Deion Branch throughout the day.
Storyline: The Bills are one of the league's biggest surprises through the first two weeks thanks to an offense that leads the league in rushing and has run up an average of 39.5 points per game through the first two weeks. With the Patriots offense also clicking on all cylinders, it's hard to envision anything but a shootout in this one.
Game Preview: Check out Tanya Fox's preview of Sunday's game here.
Prediction: The Patriots front seven should be able to get enough hits on Ryan Fitzpatrick to slow the Bills down just enough. Final Score: Patriots 42, Chargers 30.
For more New England Patriots coverage, visit our team page and blog, Pats Pulpit.
By Tanya Fox, Contributor.
The Patriots meet another 2-0 AFC East team this week when they head to Buffalo to take on the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium this Sunday. If there were ever a game that is a lock, this is it. The Patriots have not lost to the Bills since September 7, 2003, when they were shellacked 31-0 in Week 1 of the season. As you may recall, they went on to win the Super Bowl that year and the Bills continue to slip slowly yet deeply into obscurity and irrelevancy.
It would be easy to sit here and say something to the effect that this Bills team is different, with a healthy Ryan Fitzpatrick, dynamic if unpredictable wide receiver Stevie Johnson and the reliable running game of Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller. I could reminisce on the incredible comeback they had last week against the Raiders in which they scored five times in the second half to overcome a 21-3 halftime deficit, topping it off with a perfectly executed 4th and 1 touchdown pass to David Nelson.
I could definitely point out that their rush defense hasn't looked too shabby either. They held the explosive Darren McFadden to just 72 rushing yards last week, and kept Jamaal Charles to 54 yards the week before in their thrashing of the Kansas City Chiefs. Keeping two of the NFL's elite rushers to 126 combined yards is pretty good, especially for a team that hasn't had a .500 season since 2004, and last saw the playoffs in 1999. Things have been rough for the Bills, and the future is finally looking a little bright for them.
All of that is a great sign for the future of the Buffalo offense, now that they have begun to build a core that can have longevity and grow in a system. Despite all of this, they are going to lose to the Patriots in Week 3. Tom Brady is 17-1 against the Bills in his career, with the Patriots outscoring them 500-228 in those games. He's offensively on fire, continuing the regular season dominance that made him last year's unanimous league MVP. In his two best statistical years, 2007 and 2010, he put up 94 point and 72 points respectively on the Buffalo Bills in their two usual regular season meetings.
Defensively, the Patriots still have their work cut out for them. As do the Bills. The Bills defense against the rush will help them force Brady to go through the air, but is that really even an advantage for them at this point? The Buffalo secondary can't win won matchup with any of the Patriots receivers, let alone try to matchup with the massive Rob Gronkowski. The offense will obviously be working around the injury to Aaron Hernandez that will keep him out of the game this week, but even without the glorious two tight-end sets, an offense with Tom Brady at the helm is truly always at an advantage.
With that said, here are a couple things to watch in this weeks' game against the Bills.
Who Brady looks to in the red zone without Hernandez
Although Gronkowski is the more targeted end zone player, Hernandez already has two touchdowns on 14 receptions and 165 yards in 2011. The kind of coverage that those two demand when they are on the field together almost always opens things up for a receiver, which is part of the reason why Wes Welker and Deion Branch have had the chance to be so impactful so far this season. History tells us that Brady will always find other targets if one is taken away, so who will it be this week?
My money is on Danny Woodhead having a big day. They'll have him on the field a lot, because the Bills have the ability to stop BenJarvus Green-Ellis as mostly first and second down rusher. Woodhead can fit in to a variety of looks from screens to play action, especially if Brady continues to work in the no-huddle as much as he has been.
The Patriots secondary
This has surprisingly been the weak link so far in the defense, and it looks like they may in some more trouble this week with the questionable status of Pat Chung. Chung had surgery on thumb earlier in the week, and has not been practicing. There are already depth issues at safety and Chung who has 14 tackles and a sack this year will absolutely be missed if he can't play. Last year's rookie sensation Devin McCourty has had a little bit of a sophomore slump so far this year, but has also shown a lot of good decision making and read his coverage well against great offenses like San Diego last week.
McCourty and Leigh Bodden have still not played to their potential, and somewhere along the line they are going to need to step up for their defense to continue growing and being more successful. If they can get themselves into the turnover battle, the Patriots have a chance to again have the best turnover ratio in the league. Stevie Johnson is no slob either, so he can certainly be a helpful test for these guys this Sunday.
For more New England Patriots coverage, visit our team page and blog, Pats Pulpit.
Patriots Vs. Bills: Tom Brady Knows That Buffalo 'Got A Good Break'
Tom Brady set a new NFL record for most passing yards through three games to start a new season, throwing for four touchdowns and 387 yards to bring his season totals to 1,327 and 11 touchdowns. Unfortunately, Brady also threw four interceptions and the Bills caught a break at the end of Sunday's game, a 34-31 win for the Buffalo Bills.
With the game tied at 31, Bills running back Fred Jackson caught a pass and took it 39 yards to the Patriots one yard line. The play was originally ruled a touchdown, but referees called Jackson down at the one. Brady would have preferred that Jackson scored, as it would have given he and the Pats a chance to tie or win the game.
For more New England Patriots coverage, visit our team page and blog, Pats Pulpit.
Sep 26 1:28p by Gethin Coolbaugh