Bills vs. Patriots: The good and bad from Week 5 loss

The Buffalo Bills are no longer undefeated as they lost to the New England Patriots in Week 5, 23-20, in a close game that came down to a field goal.

The Bills played “sloppy” football, turning the ball over numerous times along with committing double-digit penalties. New England took advantage of a banged up, lackluster Buffalo defense, putting up over 330 total yards. The Bills offense was slow, committing two turnovers in the first half, followed by a Josh Allen interception in the third.

The Bills did not do enough to win on Sunday night. Their next game will be in Atlanta where they will take on the Falcons on Monday night. Buffalo still sits atop of the AFC East with a 4-1 record on the season.

The good 

Dalton Kincaid 

Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid was one of the only bright spots in the Buffalo offense. Kincaid had a good game for himself, being a reliable target for Allen. He caught six of his six targets for 108 receiving yards, averaging 18 yards a reception and 33 yards after the catch. The production from Kincaid helped the Bills stay alive in this game and kept the ball moving. 

Josh Allen 

Josh Allen was 22/31 against the Patriots, throwing for over 250 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushing for 53 yards. When the Bills started turning the ball over, Allen kept working to extend drives and make necessary plays that kept the Bills in it. Despite his good play, Allen threw an interception late in the third quarter that led to a 90-yard touchdown drive for the Patriots. Following that, Allen led a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to three, then put the Bills in position to tie the game. Allen’s effort not only through the air but on the ground helped in the Bills offensive success, yet it was not enough.

Greg Rousseau 

Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau made some noise against the Patriots, finishing the game with six total tackles, five solo tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits. Rousseau was forcing pressure on Drake Maye all night and flushing him out of the pocket. Despite Rousseau’s production, Buffalo’s secondary struggled and his efforts were not enough. 

The bad 

Turnovers 

The Bills offense turned the ball over a whopping three times, two fumbles and an interception, in their loss Sunday night. The Bills turned the ball over only eight times in 17 games in 2024, and so far in 2025 the Bills have committed four turnovers through five games. The Bills played “sloppy”, according to Allen and could not get out of their own way. 

Penalties 

Penalties were a major problem for the Bills. They committed 11 total penalties for 90 yards. There were numerous offensive holding penalties along with unnecessary roughness on Terrel Bernard, and defensive pass interference on Tre’Davious White. 

Secondary 

The Bills secondary struggled immensely against the Patriots offense. Drake Maye was able to connect with former Bills receiver Stefon Diggs, completing 10 of his 12 targets to Diggs for 146 yards. Bills starting cornerback Christian Benford had a down game, ranked as the lowest-graded defensive player on the Bills in Week 5, according to PFF. Followed closely in suit is cornerback Tre’Davious White, who was also one of the lowest-graded defensive players for the Bills. It is safe to say Buffalo’s secondary was lacking in multiple facets and could not stop New England’s offensive attack when it mattered most. The Bills allowed 267 yards through the air and could not find the answer for stopping Diggs.