Mac Jones threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki with 12 seconds remaining to lift the New England Patriots to a 29-25 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, making Bill Belichick the third coach in NFL history with 300 regular-season victories.
Belichick joins Pro Football Hall of Famers Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318) as the only coaches to reach the milestone.
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Jones completed 25 of 30 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots (2-5) snapped a three-game skid. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for a score and rookie Chad Ryland added three field goals to help the Patriots beat back a second-half rally by Buffalo (4-3), which briefly took the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Josh Allen was 27 of 41 for 265 yards with two TDs ran for a score. He also threw an interception that set up New England’s first touchdown. The Bills struggled on third down and scored touchdowns on only two of their four red-zone opportunities.
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Trailing 22-10 in the fourth, the Bills needed just over two minutes to complete a five-play, 75-yard drive. Allen found Stefon Diggs for a 25-yard touchdown with 5:32 remaining.
On the Patriots’ ensuing series, Jones completed a 9-yard pass to Kendrick Bourne, but Jordan Poyer poked the ball free from behind, giving the Bills the ball at the Patriots 29.
Buffalo converted a fourth-and-2 to set up a first-and-goal at the 4. Allen scored on a sneak two plays later, then connected with Dawson Knox for the 2-point conversion to make it 25-22.
Jones began the decisive drive with a short pass to Rhamondre Stevenson that turned into a 34-yard gain. He hit Hunter Harvey for 14 yards on a third-and-8, and the Patriots had a first-and-goal after six plays. A pass-interference penalty set them up at the Buffalo 1, and Jones connected with Gesicki on second down.
Buffalo trailed 13-3 at halftime. Allen directed an 81-yard scoring drive on the first possession of the second half, finding James Cook for an 8-yard touchdown.
New England led 16-10 early in the fourth quarter when the Bills went for it on fourth-and-2 at the Patriots 33. Ja’Whaun Bentley knocked away Allen’s pass to Dawson Knox.
That set up a nine-play, 66-yard scoring drive for the Patriots. Jones connected with Kendrick Bourne for a 22-10 lead. New England's 2-point try failed.
INJURIES
Patriots: LB Anfernee Jennings jogged off the field after being shaken up following a hit on Latavius Murray in the third quarter. ... LT Trent Brown left with a knee injury. ... RT Vederian Lowe left with an ankle injury.
UP NEXT
Bills: Host Tampa Bay on Thursday night.
Patriots: At Miami next Sunday.
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