Bills fall to Patriots: Allen criticizes “sloppy” play after losing undefeated streak.

Josh Allen: “We played carelessly” after the Bills’ loss

The Buffalo Bills quarterback, Josh Allen, didn’t mince words when analyzing his team’s offensive struggles during the first half of the game against the New England Patriots, which resulted in a 23-20 loss.

“We just played sloppy,” Allen stated in the post-game press conference.

Josh Allen

This defeat, the first of the season for Buffalo, left the team with a 4-1 record, ended a streak of 14 consecutive home wins, and meant a missed opportunity to consolidate their position at the top of the AFC East. The mistakes Allen referred to included 11 penalties and three turnovers, two of them in the first quarter. Three offensive series by the Bills ended in Patriots territory without scoring points.

“You’re not going to win a football game turning the ball over three times in our red zone,” Allen added. “We gave them one in their red zone. That’s just bad football and we didn’t play well tonight.”

Josh Allen

The first turnover occurred on a failed pass from Allen to tight end Dawson Knox. Apparently, there was a miscommunication, and coach Sean McDermott confirmed after the game that it was supposed to be a pass to Knox. The second turnover was by wide receiver Keon Coleman, after catching a pass from Allen, giving the Patriots the ball on Buffalo’s 11-yard line. The last turnover was Allen’s second interception of the season, thrown when the Bills were in the red zone in the third quarter.

“We shouldn’t have even been in this with three turnovers,” Allen said. “So, again, that’s just… terrible offense.”

Josh Allen

Allen finished the game with 22 of 31 completed passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to leading the team in carries with nine attempts for 53 yards. The defense recovered a fumble from Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson, but lost the turnover margin, ending an NFL-record streak of 26 consecutive games without losing the turnover margin. The Bills’ eight penalties in the first half tied for their second-most under McDermott (since 2017).

“We have to correct the penalties,” linebacker Shaq Thompson said. “… If we get a turnover, we have to get a turnover. We have to make sure it balances out.”

Shaq Thompson

The Bills’ 20 points were their fewest in a home game since Week 6 of the 2023 season against the New York Giants (14). The Bills had scored more than 20 points in 16 consecutive home games, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest since the Patriots’ 25-game streak from 2016-19.

“We didn’t play our game tonight, and that’s frustrating,” McDermott said. “And this is a crucial learning opportunity for us right here. So, there were a few other moments where I feel like maybe we got too cute at times. And overall, we have to look at some things and be honest with ourselves and learn from it in a comprehensive way.”

Sean McDermott