No one saw this coming.
Patriots' Drake Maye era has its defining win vs. Bills with huge Stefon Diggs stats originally appeared on The Sporting News
The New England Patriots used to dominate the Buffalo Bills.
But in recent years, it's been the Bills who have done the dominating while the Patriots have floundered and sought a new identity.
Consider the Pats to have taken their first huge leap in the right direction of a new era.
On Sunday Night Football: Patriots 23, Bills 20.
The Pats have the win that can define the start of a new era.
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Second-year quarterback Drake Maye and first-year head coach Mike Vrabel led the Patriots past the Bills.
Buffalo hurt itself, for sure. The Bills committed nearly all the first-half penalties, but it was kind of bumpy all around. New England's halftime lead was just 6-3.
But the Patriots just kept coming, and they found a way to score two second-half touchdowns before a game-winning field goal with fewer than 30 seconds to play.
This isn't a guarantee of anything, but it's a moment in time that could be looked back upon as a special one.
The Patriots have been seeking their new identity.
Against Buffalo, they found it.
They grind it out. They keep fighting.
When a defender hangs onto Maye with all his weight, Maye stiff arms him enough to complete a pass to Stefon Diggs anyway.
When Rhamondre Stevenson fumbles early, he bounces back late to score a critical touchdown.
And when the Patriots lose year after year to the Bills, they find a way to get up off the mat and get a win.
New England couldn't have asked for a better night, especially with Stefon Diggs returning to Buffalo with 10 catches for 146 yards.
Are the Patriots fully back? That's to be determined. But on this night, it felt a lot like old times for the Pats.
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