Bills Central

Maye-Day! Bills letting Patriots run away with AFC East early in Week 15 showdown

The New England Patriots have scored three easy walk-in touchdowns as the stunned Buffalo Bills trail big early.
Richie Whitt|
Drake Maye
Drake Maye | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

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Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & StandingsNew England Patriots

Reigning MVP Josh Allen is widely regarded as the NFL's most effective running quarterback. In Sunday's AFC East showdown in Foxboro, Bills Mafia is clearly expecting to put his team on his back aand keep Buffalo's division hopes alive.

But early on at Gillette Stadium it isn't Allen making the big plays with his legs, but instead New England Patriots' counterpart Drake Maye.

The Bills' rushing defense - which entered the game ranked 28th in the league against the run - has been a problem all season. The weakness is rearing its ugly ahead in Week 15, as Maye kept the ball for two easy walk-in touchdowns as the Pats have jumped to an early 21-0 lead. Pats' running back TreVeyon Henderson added a 52-yard touchdown run - again, untouched - and the Bills are threatening to be blown out of their biggest game of the season.

MORE: AI computer model predicts surprising result in Bills-Patriots AFC East showdown

If Allen doesn't rally the Bills, Buffalo's five-year reign atop the AFC East will officially end and the Bills will have to settle for improving their Wild Card berth in the regular-season's remaining three games.

MORE: 3 keys to Bills getting revenge on Patriots in Week 15 AFC East showdown

The Patriots took the opening kickoff and drove 73 yards, capped by Maye's keeper around the left end. On the designed run, he wasn't touched as he sneaked into the end zone just inside the pylon for an 8-yard touchdown.

After a Bills' punt, New England drove for a touchdown on another designed run by their quarterback. Maye took the shotgun snap and ran a quarterback draw up the middle, going untouched by Buffalo's stunned defense.

New England dominated the first quarter, outgained the Bills by a whopping 144-34.

Drake Maye
Drake Maye | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

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