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Bills–Patriots rivalry
Bills and Patriots face off during the 2006 season.
Buffalo Bills
New England Patriots
LocationBuffalo, Boston
First meetingSeptember 23, 1960
Bills 13, Patriots 0[1]
Latest meetingDecember 31, 2023
Bills 27, Patriots 21[1]
Next meetingDecember 22, 2024
StadiumsBills: Highmark Stadium
Patriots: Gillette Stadium
Statistics
Meetings total129[1]
All-time seriesPatriots: 78–50–1[1]
Regular season seriesPatriots: 77–49–1[1]
Postseason resultsTied: 1–1[1]
Largest victoryPatriots: 56–10 (2007)
Bills: 45–10 (1970)[1]
Longest win streakBills: 9 (1971–1975)
Patriots: 15 (2003–2010)[1]
Current win streakBills: 1 (2023–present)[1]
Post-season history[1]
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
200km
125miles
Patriots
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Bills
Locations of the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots

The Bills–Patriots rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots.

Both teams are members of the East division of the American Football Conference (AFC) and play two games against each other annually. The series debuted in 1960 when both were charter members of the American Football League (AFL). The two clubs have combined for seventeen AFL or AFC championships, the most of any two teams in the AFC East.[a] In addition, either the Patriots or Bills have won the AFC East division in 28 out of 35 seasons since 1988.[b]

The rivalry has traditionally been a very competitive one (41–38–1 at the close of the 20th century, in favor of New England) with the Patriots holding slight edges in the 1960s and 1980s, and the Bills with similar edges in the 1970s and 1990s. The series then became notable for its extreme lopsidedness during the New England career of quarterback Tom Brady, whose Patriots compiled a record of 32–3[2][3][4] (3–2 in the five games he missed) against the Bills in his two decades with the franchise (the 2000s and 2010s). Until January 2021 (when Josh Allen passed him) Brady had won more games at Highmark Stadium than any quarterback for Buffalo since 2001,[5][6] and Brady beat the Bills more times in his New England career than any other team.[7]

Buffalo is 7–2 against New England in the 2020s. The Bills dominated the Patriots, 47–17, in a wild card matchup of the 2021–22 NFL playoffs that was the first "perfect offensive game" (i.e., scoring touchdowns on every drive with no punts, kicks, or turnovers) by any team in NFL history.[8][9] This was the first playoff game in the series since the two franchises joined the NFL in 1970; in their AFL days, Gino Cappelletti kicked four field goals en route to a 26–8 Boston Patriots victory to break their tie of identical regular season records in 1963.

The Patriots lead the overall series, 78–50–1. The two teams have met twice in the playoffs, winning one each.[1]

NFL record games

[edit]

Single-game rushing record

[edit]

On September 16, 1973, O. J. Simpson of the Bills broke the all-time professional football single-game rushing record in this rivalry game against the Patriots.[10] Simpson rushed for 250 yards, breaking the record set by Willie Ellison of the Rams in 1971.[10] In the same game, Simpson became the all-time leading rusher for the Bills franchise, and was described after the game as having "more yardage than Secretariat" by Patriots linebacker Edgar Chandler.[10] Chuck Fairbanks, coaching his first game for the Patriots, described Simpson looking "like Grant going through Richmond."[10] Fullback Larry Watkins also rushed for over 100 yards for the Bills, as the team racked up 360 rushing yards for the game.[11] The Bills defeated the Patriots by a score of 31–13.[10]

The perfect offensive game

[edit]

The Bills dominated the Patriots in this rivalry's first playoff game in over 58 years, their first as NFL teams, and their first after the Boston Patriots changed their location name to New England, by a score of 47–17 in the wild card round of the 2021–22 NFL playoffs. This went into record books as the first "Perfect Offensive Game" by any NFL team as the Bills, led by Josh Allen, scored touchdowns on every drive of the entire game without any punts, kicks, or turnovers.[12] Allen threw more touchdowns than incomplete passes as the Bills gained 480 yards on just 51 snaps.[13][14] USA Today remarked the game "served as another reminder that the Bills own the AFC East in these post-Tom Brady years", while Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon observed that "it wasn’t one drive, one play or one single player. It was everything. It was the whole game."[14] Bills defensive tackle Harrison Phillips opined the game's statistics sounded "like some Pop Warner stuff."[13] It was Patriots' second-worst loss of the 21st century, the three worst of which were all suffered in the Bills–Patriots rivalry.[15]

History

[edit]

1960–1969: the AFL days

[edit]

The Bills and Patriots played for the first time in a preseason game during the first season of the American Football League on July 30, 1960. The game was played at War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo, and the Patriots won the game 28–7.[16] The teams met for their first regular season game during Week 3 of the inaugural season of the American Football League in 1960. The game was played at Nickerson Field at Boston University on Friday, September 23, 1960. The Bills scored a touchdown in each of the first two quarters and shut the Patriots out 13–0.[17]

The two teams met for their first playoff match in the AFL divisional game in December 1963. The Patriots won 26–8. In this game, Jack Kemp played quarterback for the Bills and Gino Cappelletti made four field goals and two extra points to help lift the Patriots to victory.[18]

Throughout the remainder of the decade, the teams would complete a 12–9 record in favor of the Patriots. The Bills won the AFL championship game in 1964 and 1965 and won the division in 1966. The Patriots lost to the San Diego Chargers in their only AFL championship appearance in 1963.

1970–1979: Post-merger and O. J. Simpson

[edit]

Both teams were placed into the AFC East after the AFL–NFL merger. The Bills sustained a winning streak of 9 games from 1971 to 1975.[19] The two teams played a pair of highly competitive games in the 1974 season. The Bills withstood a late Patriots rally at Rich Stadium to win, 30–28. Two weeks later, the Bills edged the Patriots, 29–28, when a last-second field goal attempt by the Patriots was blocked.

Two years after his NFL record rushing game in this rivalry against the Pats, Simpson again had one of the most dramatic games of his career on November 23, 1975, against the Patriots. Simpson scored four touchdowns (including two passes from Joe Ferguson) as the Bills won, 45–31. Patriots rookie Steve Grogan threw for 365 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted three times.

1976 was Simpson's final year in Buffalo; on October 24 Simpson rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns in a 26–22 Patriots win. Two weeks later, on November 7, Simpson was held to just eight rushing yards before being ejected following a scuffle at midfield; Patriots rookie Mike Haynes ran back a second quarter punt 89 yards for a touchdown, the first such touchdown in Patriots history. The Patriots won the game, 20–10, completing their first season sweep of the Bills since 1968.[20]

The Bills would go on to win the decade, 12–8.

1980–1989

[edit]

The 1980s was a better decade for the Patriots, as they won the decade series 13–6. The Patriots also completed their own 11-game winning streak over the Bills from January 1983 to September 1988. The Bills began to rebuild their team in the late 1980s with the additions of Jim Kelly at quarterback, Thurman Thomas as running back, Andre Reed as a receiver, Bruce Smith on defense, and Marv Levy as coach. The Bills bested the Patriots to win the AFC East division four years in a row from 1988 to 1992. During the final stretch of the 1980s, the Bills took three out of four meetings with the Patriots.[19]

1990–1999: Kelly and Flutie vs. Bledsoe

[edit]

The Bills would regain their edge in this decade, winning it 12–8. In the 1990 season, the Bills reached the Super Bowl for the first time, in Super Bowl XXV.

The Bills continued to dominate the Patriots in the early 1990s, winning eight of the first nine games, including five straight. New England, however, made the rivalry more competitive with the addition of Drew Bledsoe as quarterback and the hiring of Parcells as head coach. The Bills also saw many of their Super Bowl players leave during this time period. By the end of the 1990s, the Bills led the decade with 12 wins to the Patriots' 8 wins.[19] Throughout the decade, the two teams combined to win the AFC East six times, with the Patriots reaching the Super Bowl in 1996 and the Bills reaching the Super Bowl in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993.

The decade saw several memorable games between the two. On September 11, 1994, Buffalo led 28–14 at the half and 35–21 at the start of the fourth quarter after Mike Lodish grabbed a Patriots fumble at the New England goalline. The Patriots scored two touchdowns to tie the game, but Buffalo won 38–35 after Steve Christie booted a 32-yard field goal as time expired.

Late that season the Bills hosted the Patriots. Buffalo was 7–7 while the Patriots were 8–6. The Patriots erased a 17–3 gap by scoring 38 unanswered points. Frank Reich, replacing Jim Kelly, was intercepted twice and the Bills fumbled three times; Ricky Reynolds ran back a Buffalo fumble for a touchdown. The 41–17 Patriots win eliminated Buffalo from the playoffs.

1996 was Jim Kelly's last season; his Bills won 17–10 on September 8 on a 63-yard touchdown throw to Quinn Early and then on a last-second goal line stand. On October 27, the Bills had an 18–15 lead at the two-minute warning; Curtis Martin ran in a ten-yard score, then Willie McGinest intercepted Kelly and ran in a 46-yard touchdown, but Kelly then completed a 48-yard touchdown off two Patriots defenders to Andre Reed; the onside kick failed and the Patriots won 28–25.

The 1998 season saw the return of Doug Flutie, who'd been Patriots quarterback in 1988–89; he replaced Rob Johnson as Bills quarterback after Buffalo started 1–3. Flutie led the Bills to win four of his first five starts, including a 13–10 victory over the Patriots at Rich Stadium on November 15, but on November 29 in Flutie's return to Foxboro Stadium the Patriots, despite a broken index finger for Drew Bledsoe, rallied to a controversial last-second touchdown to Ben Coates and a 25–21 Patriots win that was aided by a pass interference penalty against the Bills as time expired.

2000–2009: the Tom Brady era, Part I

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Bills QB J. P. Losman gets tackled by New England's Ty Warren for the Patriots' game-winning safety in 2006
QB Tom Brady commanding the Patriots offense against the Bills in 2006

The 2000s was the most lopsided decade for the rivalry to date.[21][22][23] On November 5, 2000, Flutie and the Bills defeated the Patriots and new head coach Bill Belichick at Foxboro Stadium 16–13 in overtime. But after this the Patriots won 18 of the next 19 against the Bills.

This decade also saw several notable personnel changes. Following New England's 2001 championship year, Drew Bledsoe was traded by New England to Buffalo in 2002. Lawyer Milloy was then cut after the 2003 preseason and was immediately signed by Buffalo.[24] Doug Flutie, released by the Bills after 2000, joined the Patriots by way of the San Diego Chargers in 2005.

The Patriots assembled a five-game winning streak over the Bills in the beginning of the decade, which was snapped when Buffalo defeated the Patriots 31–0 in 2003. However, the Patriots then defeated the Bills by the same score later in the season. That win began a 15-game winning streak for the Patriots against the Bills stretching through 2010. The Bills did come close to winning on two occasions, but lost both times due to fourth quarter gaffes, surrendering a safety in 2006 to lose 19–17,[25] and fumbling a kickoff return to set up New England's game-winning touchdown in 2009.[26]

On December 28, 2008, the 10–5 Patriots needed a win and help from other teams to win the AFC East, while the 7–8 Bills were wrapping up the ninth straight season without a playoff berth. Played with severe wind gusts that required stadium officials to use ropes to keep the goalposts from swaying, the game was a 13–0 Patriots win as Matt Cassel, subbing for injured Tom Brady, threw only eight passes. However, the Patriots fell short of the division title.

2010–2019: the Tom Brady era, Part II

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Bills RB C. J. Spiller rushing against the Patriots in 2013

The game on September 26, 2010, was noteworthy on several levels. The Patriots won 38–30, marking the 400th win in the history of the Patriots franchise (regular-season and playoffs). It was first start of the season for Buffalo's former backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Randy Moss caught two touchdowns; they turned out to be his last with the Patriots.

On September 25, 2011, the Bills came back from a 21–0 deficit to defeat the Patriots 34–31 and snap the Patriots' 15-game winning streak.[27] Despite this win, the Patriots won the final meeting of the season, on January 1, 2012, erasing a 21–0 Bills lead to win 49–21[28]

On September 30, 2012, the Patriots erased a 21–7 Bills lead in the third quarter by outscoring them, 45–7 on six straight touchdowns, winning 52–28.[29] On November 11, 2012, the Bills stayed toe-to-toe with the Patriots; down, 37–31, the Bills were driving until Devin McCourty intercepted a Fitzpatrick pass in the endzone.[30]

Following the death of long time Bills owner Ralph Wilson, the Bills were sold to Buffalo Sabres owners Terry Pegula and his wife Kim.[31] In his first game as Bills owner the Bills team hosted the Patriots on October 12, 2014, a 37–22 Patriots win. Tom Brady threw for 361 yards - his 60th 300-yard game - and four touchdowns, including a 43-yard strike to Brian Tyms.[32] In Week 17, the Bills won their first matchup at Gillette Stadium since the facility's construction. It was Buffalo's first regulation win in New England in over 20 years. Having clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Patriots only played Brady during the first half of the game before replacing him with Jimmy Garoppolo in the second half. Neither quarterback found the endzone in the 17–9 Buffalo win.[33]

After the 2014 season, Buffalo hired former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan.[34] When asked if the Jets would be his focus during the 2015 season, Ryan admitted that the Patriots would still be his number one target.[35]

2016 saw the Patriots hosting the Bills in week 4. The Patriots faced a shortage at quarterback, as Tom Brady was suspended in the aftermath of the Deflategate scandal and primary backup Jimmy Garoppolo was sidelined with an injury. As a result, third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett made the start for the Patriots.[36] Unable to overcome a strong defensive showing from the Bills and an efficient performance by quarterback Tyrod Taylor, Brissett and the Patriots lost 16–0. It was the first shutout loss at home for New England since 1993.[37] During the rematch later that season, in which the Patriots won 41–25 with Brady's return, a spectator notoriously tossed a sex toy onto the field in the middle of a play,[38] starting a trend that would carry on in subsequent seasons.[39][40]

During a game with playoff implications on December 3, 2017, Patriots tight end and Buffalo native Rob Gronkowski hit Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White with a flying elbow after White intercepted Tom Brady in garbage-time. Though the game was already decided at that point with the Patriots going on to win 23–3, the play added tension between the teams.[41] During the rematch just three weeks later, Buffalo raced to a 16–13 lead in the third quarter, but ultimately lost 37–16 as Brady led three consecutive touchdown drives. Another controversial moment occurred when Bills receiver Kelvin Benjamin had a touchdown reception overturned during the second quarter.[42]

In a game reminiscent of the first Bills–Patriots game of 2011, the two teams met at New Era Field in September 2019 with undefeated records and the division lead on the line. However, the game was a defensive struggle as opposed to an offensive shootout, with both Tom Brady and Bills quarterback Josh Allen being held to under 153 passing yards apiece. The Patriots emerged victorious after holding an early 13–0 lead, which proved too much for Buffalo to overcome due to numerous turnovers and Allen leaving the game in the fourth quarter due to injury. The final score was 16–10 in favor of New England.[43] The two teams again met later in the season on a Saturday NFL Network Special with the division title on the line; as with the first matchup, the final result was within one touchdown's score, with the Patriots prevailing 24–17 after the Patriots staged a successful goal-line stand in the closing minutes of the game. (Both teams had already clinched a wild-card bid at minimum.)[44] This would be Brady's final win as a Patriot, as the Patriots lost their final regular season game to the Miami Dolphins and were eliminated from the playoffs a week later in a Wild Card round loss to the Tennessee Titans; Brady, who was said by USA Today Sports to make Bills fans "cringe when they hear his name" and called the "creator of Buffalo nightmares" by Yahoo Sports, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency during the offseason.[45][3][4] His record of 32–3 against the Bills while with the Patriots was called simply "ridiculous" by Sports Illustrated.[2]

2020–present: the Josh Allen / post-Brady era

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The current decade has begun in favor of the Bills, who hold a 7–2 edge including a historic playoff domination of the Patriots in January 2022.[46]

In the first game of this new decade, the two teams met at Bills Stadium on November 1, 2020. This game was yet another tightly contested game between the two opponents, with both teams opting to rely primarily on their run games. After a 28-yard field goal put the Bills up 24–21, the Patriots would drive down the field in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, reaching Buffalo's 19 yard line. However, the Bills recovered the football after the Patriots' new quarterback, Cam Newton, fumbled with 31 seconds left in the game, giving the Bills their first win over New England since 2016, breaking a 7-game winning streak for the Patriots in the series.[47] Buffalo would go on to claim the division title in week 15, ending New England's streak of division titles at 11 years, an NFL-record.[48] The two teams met again at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough later in the season. This game was dominated by the Bills, with Buffalo mostly relying on their passing game. Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw four touchdown passes as the Bills would go on to win 38–9, the worst loss of New England coach Bill Belichick's career up to that point. This marked the first time that the Bills swept the Patriots in the season series since the 1999 season.[49] It stands as the worst home loss for the Patriots in the 21st century and the worst loss anywhere since the Bills defeated them 31–0 at home in 2003.[50]

The following year, Buffalo and New England would find each other battling for the division lead throughout the season. During their first meeting on December 6, which was impacted by winds greater than 40 miles per hour, the Patriots only threw the ball 3 times with rookie quarterback Mac Jones, running the ball 46 times, including a 64-yard touchdown run by Damien Harris, as Buffalo opted to pass more. The Bills scored a touchdown on just one of their four redzone possessions, failing to score on their final two attempts and allowing New England to win 14–10.[51] Buffalo won the week 16 rematch in New England 33–21, taking advantage of the normalized weather conditions as Allen passed for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jones, however, was held to less than 150 yards passing with two interceptions and 14 of 32 passes completed.[52]

In 2022 came "The Perfect Offensive Game" by the Bills against the Patriots in the wild card round of the playoffs; the 47–17 loss was one of the three worst losses of the Patriots in the 21st century, all three of which were suffered at the hands of the Bills in this rivalry.[15]

The 2022 season saw Buffalo easily defeat New England 24–10 in the game in Foxborough. In the second meeting in Buffalo, the Bills were playing their first game following the collapse of Damar Hamlin the previous game against the Bengals; because that game ended up being cancelled and the Kansas City Chiefs finished with a 14–3 record to clinch the AFC's #1 seed, Buffalo at 12–3 was no longer able to finish atop the conference, but did defeat New England 35–23, eliminating the Patriots from playoff contention after a series of close losses late in the season. The game was notable for Buffalo's Nyheim Hines returning two kickoffs for touchdowns, including on the opening kickoff the first play after Hamlin's hospitalization.

After another sweep by Buffalo during the 2022 regular season, New England upset the Bills in Foxboro with a 29–25 win, as Mac Jones, who had one of the best performances in his career, led a game-winning touchdown drive.[53] The win was one of only a few for New England, which suffered its worst season since 1992. The Bills beat the Patriots 27–21 in the rematch in Buffalo thanks to several Patriots turnovers, clinching their fifth straight season with double-digit wins.[54]

Season-by-season results

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Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots Season-by-Season Results[1]
1960s (Patriots, 12–8–1)
Season Season series at Buffalo Bills at Boston Patriots Overall series Notes
1960 Bills 2–0 Bills
38–14 		Bills
13–0 		Bills
2–0 		Inaugural season for both franchises and the American Football League (AFL). Both teams are placed in the Eastern Division, becoming divisional rivals.
1961 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
23–21 		Patriots
52–21 		Tie
2–2
1962 Patriots 1–0–1 Tie
28–28 		Patriots
31–0 		Patriots
3–2–1 		First, and as of November 4, 2024, only tie in the rivalry.
1963 Tie 1–1 Bills
28–21 		Patriots
17–7 		Patriots
4–3–1 		Both teams finish with 7–6–1 records, setting up a tiebreaker playoff game.
1963 Playoffs Patriots 1–0 Patriots
26–8 		Patriots
5–3–1 		First postseason meeting. AFL Eastern Division.
Patriots go on to lose 1963 AFL Championship Game.
1964 Tie 1–1 Patriots
36–28 		Bills
24–14 		Patriots
6–4–1 		Bills win 1964 AFL Championship.
1965 Bills 2–0 Bills
24–7 		Bills
23–7 		Tie
6–6–1 		Bills win 1965 AFL Championship.
1966 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
20–10 		Patriots
14–3 		Patriots
8–6–1
1967 Tie 1–1 Patriots
23–0 		Bills
44–16 		Patriots
9–7–1
1968 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
16–7 		Patriots
23–6 		Patriots
11–7–1
1969 Tie 1–1 Bills
23–16 		Patriots
35–21 		Patriots
12–8–1
1970s (Bills, 12–8)
Season Season series at Buffalo Bills at Boston/New England Patriots Overall series Notes
1970 Tie 1–1 Patriots
14–10 		Bills
45–10 		Patriots
13–9–1 		As a result of the AFL–NFL merger, the Bills and Patriots are placed in the American Football Conference (AFC) and the AFC East.
In Boston, Bills record their largest victory over the Patriots with a 35–point differential.
1971 Tie 1–1 Bills
27–20 		Patriots
38–33 		Patriots
14–10–1 		Patriots change their name to "New England Patriots" and open Schaefer Stadium (now known as Foxboro Stadium).
1972 Bills 2–0 Bills
38–14 		Bills
27–24 		Patriots
14–12–1 		Last matchup at War Memorial Stadium.
1973 Bills 2–0 Bills
37–13 		Bills
31–13 		Tie
14–14–1 		Bills open Rich Stadium (now known as Highmark Stadium).
In New England, Bills' RB O. J. Simpson breaks the single-game rushing record.
1974 Bills 2–0 Bills
30–28 		Bills
29–28 		Bills
16–14–1 		In New England, Patriots' potential game-winning field goal is blocked.
1975 Bills 2–0 Bills
45–31 		Bills
34–14 		Bills
18–14–1 		In Buffalo, Bills score their most points in a game against the Patriots.
Bills win nine straight meetings (1971–1975).
1976 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
26–22 		Patriots
20–10 		Bills
18–16–1 		In New England, O. J. Simpson and Patriots' DE Mel Lunsford are ejected for fighting.
1977 Tie 1–1 Patriots
20–7 		Bills
24–14 		Bills
19–17–1
1978 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
14–10 		Patriots
26–24 		Tie
19–19–1
1979 Tie 1–1 Patriots
26–6 		Bills
16–13(OT) 		Tie
20–20–1
1980s (Patriots, 13–6)
Season Season series at Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots Overall series Notes
1980 Tie 1–1 Bills
31–13 		Patriots
24–2 		Tie
21–21–1
1981 Bills 2–0 Bills
20–17 		Bills
19–10 		Bills
23–21–1 		In Buffalo, Bills' QB Joe Ferguson throws a successful game-winning Hail Mary pass to RB Roland Hooks to clinch the final playoff spot for the Bills.[55][56]
1982 Patriots 1–0 no game Patriots
30–19 		Bills
23–22–1 		As a result of the 1982 NFL Players strike, the game scheduled in Buffalo was cancelled.
1983 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
31–0 		Patriots
21–7 		Patriots
24–23–1 		Bills draft QB Jim Kelly as part of the Quarterback class of '83.
1984 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
21–17 		Patriots
38–10 		Patriots
26–23–1
1985 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
17–14 		Patriots
14–3 		Patriots
28–23–1 		Patriots lose Super Bowl XX.
1986 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
23–3 		Patriots
22–19 		Patriots
30–23–1
1987 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
13–7 		Patriots
14–7 		Patriots
32–23–1 		Patriots win 11 straight meetings (1982–1987).
1988 Bills 2–0 Bills
23–20 		Bills
16–14 		Patriots
32–25–1
1989 Tie 1–1 Bills
31–10 		Patriots
33–24 		Patriots
33–26–1
1990s (Bills, 12–8)
Season Season series at Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots Overall series Notes
1990 Bills 2–0 Bills
14–0 		Bills
27–10 		Patriots
33–28–1 		Bills lose Super Bowl XXV.
1991 Tie 1–1 Bills
22–17 		Patriots
16–13 		Patriots
34–29–1 		Bills lose Super Bowl XXVI.
1992 Bills 2–0 Bills
16–7 		Bills
41–7 		Patriots
34–31–1 		Bills lose Super Bowl XXVII.
1993 Bills 2–0 Bills
38–14 		Bills
13–10(OT) 		Patriots
34–33–1 		Patriots draft QB Drew Bledsoe.
Bills lose Super Bowl XXVIII.
1994 Tie 1–1 Patriots
41–17 		Bills
38–35 		Patriots
35–34–1 		In Buffalo, Patriots overcome a 17–3 deficit.
1995 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
35–25 		Patriots
27–14 		Patriots
37–34–1
1996 Tie 1–1 Bills
17–10 		Patriots
28–25 		Patriots
38–35–1 		Patriots lose Super Bowl XXXI.
1997 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
31–10 		Patriots
33–6 		Patriots
40–35–1
1998 Tie 1–1 Bills
13–10 		Patriots
25–21 		Patriots
41–36–1
1999 Bills 2–0 Bills
17–7 		Bills
13–10(OT) 		Patriots
41–38–1 		Last season until the 2020 season that the Bills swept the season series.
2000s (Patriots, 18–2)
Season Season series at Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots Overall series Notes
2000 Tie 1–1 Patriots
13–10(OT) 		Bills
16–13(OT) 		Patriots
42–39–1 		Patriots draft QB Tom Brady.
2001 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
12–9(OT) 		Patriots
21–11 		Patriots
44–39–1 		Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVI.
2002 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
38–7 		Patriots
27–17 		Patriots
46–39–1 		Patriots open Gillette Stadium.
Patriots trade QB Drew Bledsoe to Bills.
2003 Tie 1–1 Bills
31–0 		Patriots
31–0 		Patriots
47–40–1 		Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVIII.
2004 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
31–17 		Patriots
29–6 		Patriots
49–40–1 		Patriots win Super Bowl XXXIX.
Last Start for Drew Bledsoe in the series.
2005 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
35–7 		Patriots
21–16 		Patriots
51–40–1
2006 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
28–6 		Patriots
19–17 		Patriots
53–40–1
2007 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
56–10 		Patriots
38–7 		Patriots
55–40–1 		In Buffalo, Patriots record their largest victory over the Bills with a 46–point differential and score their most points in a game against the Bills.
Patriots complete a perfect 16–0 regular season, but lose Super Bowl XLII.
2008 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
13–0 		Patriots
20–10 		Patriots
57–40–1
2009 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
17–10 		Patriots
25–24 		Patriots
59–40–1 		In New England, Bills KR Leodis McKelvin fumbles kickoff in the final minutes, leading to a Patriots' win.
2010s (Patriots, 17–3)
Season Season series at Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots Overall series Notes
2010 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
34–3 		Patriots
38–30 		Patriots
61–40–1 		Patriots win 15 straight meetings (2003–2010).
2011 Tie 1–1 Bills
34–31 		Patriots
49–21 		Patriots
62–41–1 		In Buffalo, Bills overcome a 21–0 deficit to snap their 15-game losing streak and win against the Patriots for the first time since the 2003 season.
In New England, Patriots overcome a 21–0 deficit.
Patriots lose Super Bowl XLVI.
2012 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
52–28 		Patriots
37–31 		Patriots
64–41–1
2013 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
23–21 		Patriots
34–20 		Patriots
66–41–1 		Patriots win 13 straight home meetings (2001–2013).
2014 Tie 1–1 Patriots
37–22 		Bills
17–9 		Patriots
67–42–1 		Bills win at New England for the first time since the 2000 season and snapped the Patriots' 35 home game winning streak against AFC opponents.
Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX.
2015 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
40–32 		Patriots
20–13 		Patriots
69–42–1
2016 Tie 1–1 Patriots
41–25 		Bills
16–0 		Patriots
70–43–1 		Patriots win Super Bowl LI.
2017 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
23–3 		Patriots
37–16 		Patriots
72–43–1 		In Buffalo, Patriots' TE Rob Gronkowski elbows Bills' CB Tre'Davious White, leading to a one-game suspension.
Patriots lose Super Bowl LII.
2018 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
25–6 		Patriots
24–12 		Patriots
74–43–1 		Bills draft QB Josh Allen.
Patriots win Super Bowl LIII.
2019 Patriots 2–0 Patriots
16–10 		Patriots
24–17 		Patriots
76–43–1 		In New England, Patriots clinched the AFC East with their win. Additionally, the game was Tom Brady's final win with the Patriots.
Patriots win seven straight meetings (2016–2019) and eight straight road meetings (2012–2019).
2020s (Bills, 7–2)
Season Season series at Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots Overall series Notes
2020 Bills 2–0 Bills
24–21 		Bills
38–9 		Patriots
76–45–1 		Bills sweep the season series over the Patriots for the first time since the 1999 season.
Bills clinch the AFC East title for the first time since their 1995 season and snapped the Patriots 11 consecutive AFC East titles.
Bills sweep division for the first time in franchise history.
2021 Tie 1–1 Patriots
14–10 		Bills
33–21 		Patriots
77–46–1
2021 Playoffs Bills 1–0 Bills
47–17 		Patriots
77–47–1 		Second postseason meeting. AFC Wild Card.
Bills scored touchdowns on each of their offensive possessions except their last to kneel down to end the game.
2022 Bills 2–0 Bills
35–23 		Bills
24–10 		Patriots
77–49–1 		In Buffalo, Bills eliminate the Patriots from playoff contention with their win.
2023 Tie 1–1 Bills
27–21 		Patriots
29–25 		Patriots
78–50–1
2024 December 22 January 5 Patriots
78–50–1
Summary of Results
Season Season series at Buffalo Bills at Boston/New England Patriots Notes
AFL regular season Patriots 11–8–1 Patriots 5–4–1 Patriots 6–4
NFL regular season Patriots 66–41 Patriots 32–21 Patriots 34–20
AFL and NFL regular season Patriots 77–49–1 Patriots 37–25–1 Patriots 40–24
AFL and NFL postseason Tie 1–1 Tie 1–1 no games AFL Eastern Division: 1963
AFC Wild Card: 2021
Regular and postseason Patriots 78–50–1 Patriots 38–26–1 Patriots 40–24

Connections between the teams

[edit]

There have been several players who have played for the Bills and Patriots, including:

  • Doug Flutie[57] – New England Patriots (1987–1989; 2005) and Buffalo Bills (1998–2000)
  • Drew Bledsoe[58] – New England Patriots (1993–2001) and Buffalo Bills (2002–2004)
  • Lawyer Milloy[59] – New England Patriots (1996–2002) and Buffalo Bills (2003–2005)
  • Antowain Smith[60] – Buffalo Bills (1997–2000) and New England Patriots (2001–2003)
  • Fred Smerlas[61] – Buffalo Bills (1979–1989) and New England Patriots (1991–1992)
  • Sam Gash[62] – New England Patriots (1992–1997) and Buffalo Bills (1998–1999; 2003)
  • Larry Centers[63] – Buffalo Bills (2001–2002) and New England Patriots (2003)
  • Sammy Morris[64] – Buffalo Bills (2000–2003) and New England Patriots (2007–2010)
  • Brandon Spikes[65] – New England Patriots (2010–2013) and Buffalo Bills (2014; 2016)
  • Scott Chandler[66] – Buffalo Bills (2010–2014) and New England Patriots (2015)
  • Chris Hogan[67] – Buffalo Bills (2012–2015) and New England Patriots (2016–2018)
  • Stephon Gilmore[68] – Buffalo Bills (2012–2016) and New England Patriots (2017–2021)
  • Alan Branch[69] – Buffalo Bills (2013) and New England Patriots (2014–2017)
  • Damien Harris[70] – New England Patriots (2019–2022) and Buffalo Bills (2023)

In addition to players, the two teams have shared head coaches. Lou Saban was the first coach in Patriots history but was fired after five games of the 1961 season. He took over the Bills in 1962 and won two American Football League titles (1964–65). After a five-season period in Denver he returned to the Bills for the 1972–76 period.[71]

Hank Bullough coached both teams: He was co-head coach (with Ron Erhardt) for the Patriots at the end of 1978 and coached the Bills for the final twelve games of 1985 and the first nine games of 1986.[72]

Pepper Johnson joined the Bills coaching staff in 2014 after fourteen seasons on the Patriots staff.[73]

Brian Daboll was hired as the Bills' offensive coordinator on January 14, 2018, having previously served as the Patriots' tight-end coach.[74]

[edit]

The Bills–Patriots rivalry was parodied in the 2014 Family Guy episode "3 Acts of God" in which the teams' levels of success at the time were reversed. In the first part of the episode, Peter Griffin—along with his family and friends—attends a game between his hometown Patriots and the Bills at Gillette Stadium, which the Patriots lose following a last-minute blunder, leading to their 10th straight loss. This convinces Peter and his friends that God hates the Patriots.[75] The episode also features former Bills players Mario Williams and C. J. Spiller guest starring as themselves.[76] Ryan Fitzpatrick was also slated to guest star, but his part was cut as he was no longer on the Bills' roster at the time of the episode's airing.[75]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Eleven for the Patriots and six for the Bills, followed by five for the Dolphins and one for the Jets.
  2. ^ Nineteen for the Patriots and nine for the Bills, followed by four for the Dolphins, two for the Jets, and one for the Colts before leaving the division in 2002.

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ a b Alek Arend. "Tom Brady’s Record Against The Buffalo Bills Is Ridiculous". The Spun by Sports Illustrated, December 21, 2019. Accessed January 18, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Nesbitt, Andy (January 20, 2022). "Why Tom Brady vs. the Buffalo Bills would be a dream Super Bowl". For The Win. USA Today via MSN. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Nate Mendelson. What history shows Bills need to do to beat Tom Brady". Yahoo Sports, December 11, 2021. Accessed January 21, 2022.
  5. ^ Tom Brady career splits from Pro Football Reference
  6. ^ Kenyon, David (October 30, 2018). "Tom Brady has more wins in Buffalo since 2001 than any Bills QB". Sportsnaut.com. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
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  8. ^ Jeff Kerr. "Bills become first team in NFL history to pitch a 'perfect' offensive game in playoff win over Patriots". CBS Sports, January 16, 2022. Accessed January 19, 2022.
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  10. ^ a b c d e Thomas Rogers. "Simpson's 250 Yards Set N.F.L. Rush Mark". The New York Times, September 17, 1973. Accessed January 19, 2022.
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  26. ^ Watch Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots [09/14/2009] NFL.com.
  27. ^ "Patriots vs. Bills - Game Recap - September 25, 2011 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
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  31. ^ Bills confirm agreement reached with Pegulas to buy franchise
  32. ^ "Patriots vs. Bills - Game Recap - October 12, 2014 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
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  38. ^ Dator, James (October 31, 2016). "Yeah, someone threw a big dildo on the field during Pats-Bills". SB Nation.
  39. ^ Clarkson, Brett (October 31, 2018). "Florida man threw sex toy on field at Bills-Patriots Monday Night Football game, cops say". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
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  45. ^ Patra, Kevin (March 20, 2020). "Tom Brady officially signs con;tract with Buccaneers". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  46. ^ "Bills-Patriots rivalry is no longer one-sided". The Day. January 13, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  47. ^ Louis-Jacques, Marcel (November 1, 2020). "Buffalo Bills snap seven-game losing streak to New England Patriots". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  48. ^ Louis-Jacques, Marcel (December 20, 2020). "Bills blast Broncos, capture elusive division title". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
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  51. ^ Fairburn, Matthew. "In Patriots' latest win over Bills, Bill Belichick shows he's living in Sean McDermott's head". The Athletic. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  52. ^ Sullivan, Tyler (December 26, 2021). "Patriots vs. Bills score: Josh Allen shines as Buffalo takes control of AFC East race with win in New England". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
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  54. ^ "Buffalo Bills 27, New England Patriots 21: Final score, stats, highlights". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
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  57. ^ "Doug Flutie". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
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  59. ^ "Lawyer Milloy". NFL.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
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  61. ^ "Fred Smerlas: Career Stats at NFL.com". NFL.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  62. ^ "Sam Gash". NFL.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  63. ^ "Larry Centers Stats | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  64. ^ "Sammy Morris". NFL.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
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  66. ^ "Scott Chandler". NFL.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
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  70. ^ "Damien Harris". NFL.com. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
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  74. ^ Schad, Tom (January 14, 2018). "Buffalo Bills hire Alabama offensive coordinator Brian Daboll". USA Today. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
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  76. ^ Miller, Dallas (March 17, 2014). "Bills make primetime appearance on Family Guy". Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
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