After four dominant weeks, the Buffalo Bills‘ unbeaten streak ended with a 23-20 loss to the New England Patriots, dropping them to 4-1. Head Coach Sean McDermott didn’t mince words postgame, admitting strategic missteps and locker room lapses that proved costly.

“We played the game they wanted us to play,” McDermott said, reflecting on the mistakes made from their side as they failed to find rhythm. His words were a testament not only to frustration with execution but also with the game plan as a whole, acknowledging that his team had been unable to adapt when the Patriots’ defensive schemes disrupted their traditional offensive rhythm.

For a squad that had looked almost invincible for a month, the errors were hard to ignore. Blown tackles, miscommunication, and poor situational decision-making disrupted Buffalo’s rhythm. McDermott admitted the Bills failed to find their groove.

The win wasn’t a cakewalk for the New England Patriots. They nearly saw their 10-point fourth-quarter lead vanish after surrendering back-to-back scoring drives to the Bills. But quarterback Drake Maye responded with a composed final march, 37 yards in seven plays, that set up kicker Andy Borregales for a game-winning 52-yard field goal, which sailed through with 15 seconds remaining.

Maye finished 22-of-30 for 273 yards and a 101.1 passer rating, one of the best outings of his pro career. He consistently connected with former teammate Stefon Diggs, who delivered a vintage performance. Diggs torched his old club with 10 receptions for 146 yards, including a clutch 12-yard grab on the decisive drive.

Following the game, Diggs wasn’t shy to characterize the personal tone of the game. “One hundred percent,” he said to NBC’s Melissa Stark. “Obviously I love those guys, still got a good relationship with them, but I love the game of football more.”

The victory put the Patriots just one game behind Buffalo in the AFC East and marked a valuable road win against a division rival.

The Bills had personnel issues of their own. Their most notable absence remains kicker Tyler Bass, who has been on injured reserve since before Week 1 with a left hip and groin strain. Though eligible to return ahead of the Patriots matchup, Bass remained sidelined, leaving veteran Matt Prater to handle kicking duties once again.

Prater has been a reliable stand-in, but there’s no true replacement for Bass’s range and consistency. For a team that often finds itself in close contests, missing their trusted kicker places added pressure on McDermott’s decision-making and the offense’s red-zone execution.

Still, Bills head coach didn’t shy away from delivering a message to the locker room.

McDermott’s message to his locker room

After his own admission of coaching errors, McDermott called out the locker room. “I thought we were too cute at times,” he said, highlighting that the team had to simplify and get better. “This is a pivotal learning moment right here — we gotta learn from ourselves and have honest conversations.”

Josh Allen posted strong numbers: 22-of-31 for 253 yards and two touchdowns, and even led the team in rushing with 53 yards. But his two turnovers, one interception and one lost fumble, loomed large in a three-point game. The Bills forced three takeaways, something they’d only done once in their first four games combined, yet couldn’t capitalize.

For Buffalo, the loss stings not just because it ended their unbeaten run, but because it exposed cracks deeper than a bad night. McDermott’s postgame accountability was a start, but as he said, what happens next will reveal how far this team can truly go.