Bills rally from 21-point deficit to beat Patriots 35-31, stay alive in AFC East race

FOXBOROUGH Mass AP Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes and James Cook ran for two TDs and caught another as the Buffalo Bills rallied from a - deficit to beat New England - on Sunday preventing the Patriots from clinching the AFC East title Allen finished of for yards Cook ran times for yards for the Bills - who avoided being swept by a division opponent for the first time since Buffalo reached wins for the seventh consecutive season The Bills overcame a double-digit deficit for the third time this year after previously rallying against Baltimore down points in the fourth quarter and Cincinnati down The Patriots - lost their first division battle of the season and their -game win streak ended They haven t won the AFC East since but still lead the Bills by one meeting with three games left Drake Maye had a pair of touchdown runs and TreVeyon Henderson ran for scores of and yards Henderson finished with carries for yards Trailing - with to play the Patriots had fourth-and- on their own Maye was flushed out of the pocket and had a pass batted down by Joey Bosa The Bills ran out the clock from there With light snow falling the temperature at kickoff was degrees Fahrenheit degrees Celsius The conditions didn t slow down a Patriots offense that scored on four of its first five possessions to take a - lead into halftime Buffalo punted on all but one of its first-half possessions But it marched down the field on the first drive of the third quarter getting a -yard kickoff return by Ray Davis and a -yard run by Allen to set up Allen s -yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox After a three-and-out by New England the Bills needed just over five minutes and plays to cap a -yard drive with Cook s -yard TD run Maye had a deep pass intercepted by Tre Davious White on the Patriots next drive The Bills took over on the New England and drove across midfield where they faced fourth down on the Patriots Allen kept the drive alive completing a -yard pass to Dalton Kincaid He then exposed Knox for a -yard TD to put the Bills in front - That lead lasted just seconds On New England s next offensive play Henderson scampered down the sideline for a -yard total The Bills struck right back capping a seven-play -yard drive with Cook s -yard touchdown run that made it - with remaining Bosa returned for Buffalo after a one-game absence with hamstring and wrist injuries The Bills played without linebacker Terrel Benford elbow for the third straight contest as well top cornerback Christian Benford toe Their absences were evident as the Patriots moved the ball at ease early Maye used a -yard pass to Kayshon Boutte to set up his own -yard touchdown that capped an eight-play -yard opening drive Maye s -yard scramble for a touchdown put the Patriots up - All tied up Knox s TD catch was the th of his career tying Pete Metzelaars for the greater part by a tight end in Bills history Moment of silence The Patriots held a moment of silence for the sufferers of a mass shooting at Brown University on Saturday that killed two students and wounded nine others The Ivy League school in Providence Rhode Island is located about miles south of Foxborough Injuries Bills DT Jordan Phillips walked off on his own power in the second quarter with an ankle injury Patriots CB Carlton Davis III left in the third quarter with a groin injury but returned Up next Bills Visit Cleveland next Sunday Patriots At Baltimore next Sunday night AP NFL https apnews com hub nfl