Mike Reiss
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Quarterback Drake Maye delivered his signature NFL win with clutch play down the stretch, and large receiver Stefon Diggs was sensational in an emotional return to western New York, because the New England Patriots shocked the Buffalo Payments 23-20 on Sunday evening.
Maye led a closing drive to arrange Andy Borregales' 52-yard discipline objective with 15 seconds remaining — a march that began with Maye one way or the other discovering Diggs for a 12-yard catch-and-run play as defensive lineman DaQuan Jones had the QB in his grasp and was bringing him to the bottom.
Maye's knack for extending performs — and discovering Diggs in key conditions — was a big a part of the system that snapped the Payments' 14-game dwelling profitable streak. Diggs, who performed for Buffalo from 2020 to 2023 and known as it a “nostalgic” evening for him, completed with a team-high 10 catches for 146 yards.
“I am pleased with each of them,” first-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel mentioned. “With the ability to emotionally come again right here for Stef and being on this factor all week — a very good chief for us … And I believe only a actually gutty efficiency from Drake. I simply proceed to get pleasure from watching him develop and lead this soccer workforce.”
Maye, beginning his first prime-time sport within the NFL, completed 22-of-30 passing for 273 yards in delivering his first game-winning drive as a professional. Afterward, he shared an embrace with Vrabel because the coach waited for each participant to congratulate them. Maye was adopted by Diggs, who darted right into a celebratory locker room that was chanting “Andy! Andy! Andy!” in a salute to Borregales, the rookie kicker who drilled the profitable discipline objective.
The Patriots improved to 3-2, whereas the Payments — who've gained the previous 5 AFC East crowns — dropped to 4-1.
Diggs performed a significant function in 4 of these division titles as quarterback Josh Allen's go-to goal earlier than the Payments traded the wideout to the Houston Texans in April 2024. Diggs performed in opposition to the Payments final 12 months, however that sport was in Houston, so Sunday evening was his first time again at Highmark Stadium.
“It was lit. Electrifying,” he mentioned, including later that feeding off raucous crowds “is every little thing to me.”
“When it will get loud, it sort of will get quiet for me,” mentioned the 31-year-old Diggs, who grew to become the primary Patriots receiver to put up consecutive 100-yard performances in the identical season since Julian Edelman in 2019. “It would not trouble me an excessive amount of: They love you at some point, they hate you the subsequent, they will love you once more. I spent quite a lot of time right here. I respect the dynamic. Was once right here. I am not right here no extra. I assume I miss you too.”
Simply as Diggs helped Allen in his early years because the Payments signal-caller, Diggs is doing the identical for the 23-year-old Maye. Maybe their finest connection on Sunday was a 32-yard improvisational fourth-quarter play during which Maye rolled out to his proper, motioned together with his left hand for Diggs to maneuver additional up the sphere then delivered a pinpoint throw alongside the appropriate sideline that was snared by the sure-handed Diggs.
The Patriots scored a landing on the subsequent play to go forward 13-10 halfway by way of the third quarter. It was a decisive response after the Payments had scored on the opening possession of the second half.
“I noticed a younger quarterback take a step in the appropriate route,” Diggs mentioned. “They did quite a lot of comparisons throughout the week, and I really feel prefer it's a hell of a comparability to be in comparison with Josh Allen. However as you come into your personal, Drake Maye needs to be Drake Maye. I used to be simply so pleased with him coming in right here and main the workforce.”
Maye once more discovered Diggs for a 30-yard catch-and-run early within the fourth quarter that arrange a landing two performs later to present the Patriots a 20-10 lead.
The Payments roared again to tie the rating at 20 earlier than the Patriots obtained the ball again at their very own 29-yard line with 2:12 remaining. The 37-yard game-winning drive began with Maye's closing completion to Diggs. Maye made the throw whereas falling to the bottom as Jones was bearing down on him together with his left shoulder within the defender's grasp.
Of Diggs' triumphant return to the Payments' dwelling stadium, Maye mentioned: “It is storybook. Coming again right here, first sport [since the trade], prime time, you may see all of it week. He simply loves soccer. He has quite a bit within the tank left. It is good he is a Patriot.”
