Bills fall to Patriots 29-26 in season opener loss

The Buffalo Bills suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 29-26 to the New England Patriots in Orchard Park, New York. The Patriots amassed 405 yards of offense and scored three touchdowns inside the Bills' red zone.

The Bills' defense allowed long opening drives in both halves, conceding a 97-yard touchdown drive after a three-and-out and a 72-yard drive to start the second half. Defensive end Max Hairston was penalized for holding near the goal line and was criticized for not taking the proper angle on a crucial play that set up the Patriots' game-sealing first down.

Tight end Dalton Kincaid saw only two targets, recording a single 7-yard reception, while wide receiver Joshua Palmer caught one pass for three yards despite four targets. Running back James Cook and wide receiver Khalil Shakir each lost a fumble, giving New England additional possessions.

Quarterback Josh Allen, under pressure with just over a minute left and second down at his own 40-yard line, threw into double coverage, resulting in an interception that ended the Bills' comeback attempt.

The Bills were called for five penalties totaling 51 yards, with several occurring in pivotal moments that extended Patriots drives. Their rushing attack struggled early, managing 11 carries for 28 yards (2.5 yards per carry) in the first half before improving to 63 yards on seven carries (9.0 yards per carry) after halftime.

The Patriots' quarterback Drake Maye contributed 54 rushing yards on eight attempts and avoided several sacks by scrambling for first downs. Defensive highlights for Buffalo included Greg Rousseau's four tackles, four quarterback hits and two pass breakups, and T.J. Parker's first career sack and forced fumble, which the Bills recovered.

Buffalo also dealt with multiple injuries, including shoulder, knee, ankle and hamstring issues to players such as DJ Moore, Ed Oliver, Dee Alford and Te’Cory Couch.