Here’s a weird number for you: 8. That’s how many penalties a team supposedly destined for the SB committed in the 1st half. A team riding a perfect 4-0 record, playing at home, under the SN lights. The Bills didn’t just play sloppily against the New England Patriots; they played like a team having an out-of-body experience.

The chaos started early, with a botched Josh Allen snap being fumbled away, only for Rhamondre Stevenson (1 carry, 1 fumble lost) to cough it right back up on the next possession, which ended, fittingly, with kicker Andy Borregales drilling a 52-yarder to seal a 23-20 Patriots win. This game wasn’t about who played best, but who messed up least.

The Bills had their worst Turnover game of the season

Look, the box score will tell you the Bills lost by 3 points. The tape tells a different story. They lost because of 3 turnovers (here’s what Allen had to say about that), their worst showing of the season. It started with a botched snap from Allen and a fumble from Keon Coleman, both inside the first 13 minutes. But the backbreaker?

That came later. With the Bills driving deep in Patriots territory, Allen (22/31, 253 yds, 2 TDs) held the ball, drifted, and tried to squeeze one into double coverage. Marcus Jones saw it and snagged an INT. 

Stefon Diggs got his revenge

While the Bills were busy imploding, Stefon Diggs was having a homecoming. And he was absolutely cooking. From the first snap, a bootleg pass he turned into a 1st down, Diggs played with a palpable fire. He finished the night with a massive 10 catches for 146 yards on 12 targets,

There was the spin move that left a defender grasping at air and the tough sideline grab through tight coverage that set up a Rhamondre Stevenson TD. In his pre-game interview, Diggs said he still had a “lot of love” for Buffalo. He showed it by reminding them exactly what they’d lost, right up to the final drive where he made a clutch catch while a pass rusher was literally hanging off Drake Maye’s legs.

Maye, for his part, was a cool customer, going 22-for-30 with 273 yds and, crucially, 0 INTs.

Keon Coleman is emerging for better and for worse

Amid the chaos, a silver lining for the Bills is the continued emergence of Keon Coleman as a trusted target. Josh Allen found him for a 13-yard TD, a sign of growing chemistry in the red zone.

Early on, it was Coleman who coughed up the football, contributing to the turnover mess that put Buffalo in a hole. He finished with just 23 YDs on his 4 catches, but was targeted 7 times. He’s a legitimate weapon, no doubt, but his fumble was a stark reminder of the sloppiness that plagued the entire team.

The Patriots shot themselves in the foot, too

Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a clean game for anyone. The two teams combined for a staggering 18 penalties and 173 yards. While Buffalo’s 11 flags for 90 YDs were more costly, the Patriots did their best to keep it close with 8 penalties of their own for 93 yards. 

A late hit by DT Joshua Farmer on James Cook gifted the Bills 15 yards and a first down on a scoring drive. Later, a Patriots penalty stalled their own offense on a 3-and-out, giving Buffalo a chance to retake the lead. 

Suddenly, the AFC east isn’t a cakewalk anymore

The thing is, the Bills have bigger problems than one loss. The AFC East, which looked like a foregone conclusion a week ago, is suddenly complicated. The Patriots showed that the kings of the East are vulnerable. Buffalo’s coronation is officially on hold.