McCourty’s pick-six seals Patriots’ win
Devin McCourty returned an interception 84 yards for a touchdown, and the New England Patriots’ defence smothered the Buffalo Bills’ anemic offence in a 25-6 win on Monday night.
James White scored on a 1yard run, and the Patriots relied more on Stephen Gostkowski’s leg than on Tom Brady’s arm for their fifth straight win, which improved their AFC East-leading record to 6-2. Brady finished 29 of 45 for 324 yards, but was held without a touchdown pass for the first time this season.
Gostkowski hit four of five field-goal attempts, including two from 25 yards after New England drives stalled inside Buffalo’s 10.
“They made it tough on us,” Brady said. “We couldn’t get anything going in the red zone, not enough positive plays down there.”
McCourty sealed the win with 5:54 remaining by intercepting Derek Anderson’s pass over the middle intended for Charles Clay and taking it to the end zone.
Two plays before the pick, Bills tight end Jason Croom’s diving one-handed touchdown catch was negated following a video review. Replays clearly showed Croom never had possession in attempting to make the 25yard catch, which would have made it a one-score game.
McCourty’s interception also came after White scored to cap a 10-play, 85-yard drive to put New England ahead 186 with 9:58 remaining.
“I felt like once our offence got one in the end zone, it was big for us to go out there and try to get a stop,” McCourty said. “And it ended up being a turnover for a touchdown.”
Buffalo lost its third straight and dropped to 2-6 for its worst start since opening the 2010 season with eight losses.
Credit the Bills’ defence for not playing the role of the expected pushover against a Brady-led offence that had scored 38 or more points in each of its past four games.
“You come out and you hold those guys to one touchdown and still can’t get a win. It’s tough, man,” Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White said.
Buffalo’s problem continued to be an offence that has managed just 87 points this season, and was held to under seven points for the fourth time. Stephen Hauschka accounted for the scoring by hitting field goals from 51 and 47 yards.
“It’s clearly not good enough,” coach Sean McDermott said of his sputtering offence. “I thought the defence came out and played well at times. Offensively, we shot ourselves in the foot a little bit there, and just couldn’t get it going enough.”
Anderson was escorted off the field with 1:25 left when he was sacked by Kyle Van Noy. Anderson was making his second start in place of rookie Josh Allen, who’s listed as week to week with a sprained elbow on his throwing arm.
Anderson finished 22 of 39 for 290 yards and two interceptions.