Drake Maye can’t deliver 4th-quarter heroics in disappointing loss to Buffalo

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Drake Maye can’t deliver 4th-quarter heroics in disappointing loss to Buffalo

Karen Guregian · MassLive

Sun, Dec 14, 2025 ·

3 min read

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FOXBOROUGH - Drake Maye wanted to seize the moment. He wanted to take the AFC East crown from Buffalo , the defending title holders.

He thought it was the perfect scenario, beating the defending champs at home to claim the top spot. He didn’t want to give the Bills any life.

And Maye & Co. seemed prime to make that happen after a terrific opening half, but the Patriots took a nap in the third quarter.

The Bills closed the gap, setting the scene for a climatic fourth quarter.

The Patriots had flown out of the gates, taking a 21-0 lead before you could blink. But that lead quickly evaporated in the second half. By the 10-minute mark of the 4th quarter, the Bills owned a 28-24 lead.

Maye and the Patriots offense went silent in the third quarter. But it took one play for them to retake the lead with TreVeyon Henderson producing his second long score - a 65-yard touchdown as the rookie back reversed direction and found daylight, with Maye acting as his lead blocker down the field.

The 31-28 lead, however, lasted one drive.

The Bills came right back with a 7-play, 65 yard scoring drive ( James Cook 11-yard run) to go back up 35-31 in the see-saw second half.

The Patriots defense had no answer for Josh Allen , while Maye and the Patriots offense went cold.

Still, down four, Maye had a chance to rally the team back down four with 2:43 to go.

They had the ball on the 17, then faced a 4th-and-5 from the 22.

Maye’s pass was batted and that was the ball game. The Patriots quarterback, whose MVP bid took a hit, couldn’t deliver.

With the loss, the Patriots (11-3) lead over the Bills (10-4) in the division was cut to one game.

The game had started so well for the offense. Maye was sharp, and the running game was particularly effective.

Their opening drive was a thing of beauty, with Josh McDaniels largely running the ball, and mixing in pass plays. With a first and goal from the eight, McDaniels drew up a designed quarterback run.

Maye faked the handoff, and scampered in unscathed to give the Patriots a quick 7-0 lead.

Maye used his legs once again during the next scoring drive, first escaping a would-be sack before running for 17 yards. A 14-yard completion to Mack Hollins kept the drive moving. On a second-and-goal from the seven, Maye took a quarterback draw into the end zone.

The Patriots were up 14-0 and Maye was beating Josh Allen and the Bills at their own game.

The Patriots would expand the lead to 21-0 with TreVeyon Henderson’s 52-yard touchdown run before the Bills finally answered with Allen hitting James Cook with a 5-yard TD pass.

Maye manuevered the Patriots into field goal range before the half, with Andy Borregales connecting on a 36-yard field goal to give the Pats a 24-7 lead at the half.

That lead was shortlived with the Bills ripping off 21 unanswered points midway through the fourth quarter.

Maye who completed 9 of 11 passes for 108 yards, with two rushing touchdowns in the first half, had outdueled Allen during their Week 5 Sunday night showdown in Buffalo.

Allen (19 of 28 for 193 yards, 3 TDs) got the better of Maye in Round 2 as the Patriots QB finished 14 of 23 for 150 yards with an interception and two rushing scores.

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