ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – In an environment which most any visiting team would have no chance to win, credit the Patriots for hanging around until late in the fourth quarter.
But in the end, the not-truly-playoff-worthy Patriots met their ultimate fate, as the emotionally charged Buffalo Bills, in need of a win to lift their spirits and to ensure themselves of the two seed in the playoffs, parlayed two kickoff returns for touchdowns and two long touchdown passes into a 35-23 victory over the Patriots on Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium. The loss, coupled with Miami’s win over the Jets and Pittsburgh’s win over Cleveland, eliminates the Patriots from the playoffs.