In the short-term, the Patriots basically saved their season with Sunday’s 29-26 win at Buffalo. It’s only Week 4, but a loss would have put them three games behind the Bills in the AFC East race. Instead, they’re 2-2 and one back of the 3-1 Bills, with three months of football still ahead.
They still can accomplish their three goals — win the division, host playoff games, and compete for championships.
“It gets us back in the race,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “We’re lucky to get out of here with a win, but it does get us back in the race.”
But Sunday’s win meant much more for the Patriots in the big picture. After three shaky weeks, they showed fight. They showed that their young quarterback isn’t broken. That they can block out the noise. That their culture is still alive and well.
Add it all up, and it points in one direction — the Patriots still believe in their coach, and Vrabel can deliver when needed.
“It just gives us some confidence to show us we could do this. We can play with anybody,” running back Rhamondre Stevenson said.
It has been a rough 2026 for Vrabel ever since getting crushed in the Super Bowl. The Dianna Russini episode sapped some of his swagger and was the first ding against his leadership since taking the job over a year ago. The 1-2 start made the situation worse, with Vrabel’s young quarterback looking broken, and the Patriots looking like a shell of last year’s team. The season could have spiraled quickly out of control with a loss on Sunday.
But if last week’s 35-6 loss at Jacksonville was a reflection of Vrabel and the coaches, so was Sunday’s response in Buffalo. The coaches earned straight A’s — for preparation, leadership, and delivering in the clutch.
The defense under coordinator Zak Kuhr was mostly terrific despite playing without two of its top players, Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore. Dalton Kincaid, the NFL’s leading tight end entering the game with 263 yards and more than 18 yards per catch, had just one catch for seven. Running back James Cook did nothing through the first three quarters. Josh Allen rushed for only four yards on five carries, sealed the loss with a head-scratching interception, and went 2 for 4 in the red zone. That was a direct challenge that the Patriots answered after allowing the Jaguars to go 5 for 5 last week.
“Extremely proud of the defensive staff, but most importantly the players,” Vrabel said. “I think the ability to stop the run early on, to get some turnovers, ultimately gave us some hope.”
The offense certainly wasn’t flawless, particularly with the two costly giveaways in the second quarter. But it made big statements — first with a 97-yard touchdown drive to open the game, then with a 73-yard drive in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. Playing in a hostile stadium against their archrivals, the Patriots proved that they can deliver.
They gained 405 yards despite again playing without A.J. Brown, and losing Mack Hollins mid-game to injury. Romeo Doubs stepped up with his first two touchdown catches as a Patriot, and little-used Efton Chism made a name for himself with a highlight-reel, one-handed catch for the winning score. The Patriots went right after the Bills’ secondary, which was playing without No. 1 cornerback Christian Benford.
The offense answered Vrabel’s challenges, twice converting fourth downs when the Patriots easily could have kicked a field goal. Both conversions led to touchdowns.
“If you play Josh Allen, you’re going to have to be aggressive,” Vrabel said. “And our guys rewarded us by converting.”
Most important, Maye and the Patriots proved that they can figure it out. A headcase over the first three games who cost his team with inexplicable interceptions, Maye slowly gained confidence throughout Sunday’s affair before finally morphing into the 2025, MVP-runner-up version of himself on the game-winning drive. It wasn’t all perfect — particularly the poor ball security on his fumble in the first half — but Maye made big plays with his feet, and confidently pushed the ball downfield again, finishing with 269 passing yards, 54 rushing yards, and three passing touchdowns.
Most poignantly, Sunday’s win proved that the culture Vrabel built with last year’s Super Bowl team is still alive and well. Maye said the number of times his teammates pumped him up last week “was cool to see and what makes this game so special.” The players had bear hugs for Vrabel entering the postgame locker room, with some chanting, “We ain’t dead!”
Down in the fourth quarter, their season practically on the line, the Patriots came together and delivered.
“Nobody blinked when we were over there on the sideline and they scored and went up, 26-21,” Maye said. “Coach always says, ‘Don’t ride the roller coaster.’ And that’s what we’re going to buy into, and know we got a lot of work left to do.”
Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com.