Quick answer
- Winner
- Buffalo Bills
- Final score
- Buffalo Bills 24–21 New England Patriots
- Halftime
- New England Patriots 14–7 Buffalo Bills at halftime
- FantasyHQ MVP
- Drake Maye
- Top passer
- Drake Maye
- Biggest EPA play
- (10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE…
- Game date
- 2024-12-22
Game summary
The Buffalo Bills beat the New England Patriots 24–21 on 2024-12-22, overcoming New England Patriots's 14–7 halftime lead. Drake Maye posted a game-high +12.75 total EPA in the passing.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 14 combined points.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 New England Patriots | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
 Buffalo Bills | 0 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Scoring Map
Each pin marks where a score occurred on the field — yard line from play-by-play.
NENew England Patriots
(12:06) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass deep right to 9-K.Boutte for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer.
(14:21) 38-R.Stevenson right guard for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer.
(12:05) (Shotgun) 70-A.Anderson reported in as eligible. 4-J.Cook left tackle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.
(9:45) (Shotgun) 17-J.Allen pass short left to 4-J.Cook for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.
(6:07) 2-T.Bass 50 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.
(10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE -1. TOUCHDOWN.
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.
(1:17) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass short right to 85-H.Henry for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer.
BUFBuffalo BillsFantasyHQ Analytics
Scoring timeline
Chronological scoring plays — scroll to follow the game.
- NENew England Patriots
Q1 12:06TD Kayshon BouttePoints+6
- Yard line
- BUF 28
- Score
- 6-0
(12:06) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass deep right to 9-K.Boutte for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- NENew England Patriots
Q1 12:01XP Joey SlyePoints+1
- Yard line
- BUF 15
- Score
- 7-0
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer.
- NENew England Patriots
Q2 14:21TD Rhamondre StevensonPoints+6
- Yard line
- BUF 14
- Score
- 13-0
(14:21) 38-R.Stevenson right guard for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- NENew England Patriots
Q2 14:16XP Joey SlyePoints+1
- Yard line
- BUF 15
- Score
- 14-0
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer.
- BUFBuffalo Bills
Q2 12:05TD James Cook IIIPoints+6
- Yard line
- NE 46
- Score
- 14-6
(12:05) (Shotgun) 70-A.Anderson reported in as eligible. 4-J.Cook left tackle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- BUFBuffalo Bills
Q2 11:56XP Tyler BassPoints+1
- Yard line
- NE 15
- Score
- 14-7
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.
- BUFBuffalo Bills
Q3 9:45TD James Cook IIIPoints+6
- Yard line
- NE 4
- Score
- 14-13
(9:45) (Shotgun) 17-J.Allen pass short left to 4-J.Cook for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- BUFBuffalo Bills
Q3 9:41XP Tyler BassPoints+1
- Yard line
- NE 15
- Score
- 14-14
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.
- BUFBuffalo Bills
Q3 6:07FG Tyler BassPoints+3
- Yard line
- NE 32
- Score
- 14-17
(6:07) 2-T.Bass 50 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.
- BUFBuffalo Bills
Q4 10:17TD Drake MayePoints+6
- Yard line
- BUF 88
- Score
- 14-23
(10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE -1. TOUCHDOWN.
- BUFBuffalo Bills
Q4 10:10XP Tyler BassPoints+1
- Yard line
- NE 15
- Score
- 14-24
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.
- NENew England Patriots
Q4 1:17TD Hunter HenryPoints+6
- Yard line
- BUF 9
- Score
- 20-24
(1:17) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass short right to 85-H.Henry for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- NENew England Patriots
Q4 1:13XP Joey SlyePoints+1
- Yard line
- BUF 15
- Score
- 21-24
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer.
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA).
- 1Drake Maye · New England Patriots · Passing · +12.75 total EPA · 45 snaps · +0.28 EPA/play
- 2Hunter Henry · New England Patriots · Receiving · +4.91 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.61 EPA/play
- 3Kayshon Boutte · New England Patriots · Receiving · +4.76 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.68 EPA/play
- 4James Cook III · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +3.61 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.20 EPA/play
- 5James Cook III · Buffalo Bills · Rushing · +2.83 total EPA · 11 snaps · +0.26 EPA/play
- 6
Jonathan Allen · Buffalo Bills · Passing · +2.13 total EPA · 35 snaps · +0.06 EPA/play - 7Rhamondre Stevenson · New England Patriots · Receiving · +1.95 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.95 EPA/play
- 8
Dell Pettus · New England Patriots · Rushing · +1.93 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.93 EPA/play
FantasyHQ Game MVP
Highest total EPA with the player's top snap and the game's biggest single play when different.
FantasyHQ Game MVP
Drake Maye — NE · Passing
Drake Maye posted the highest total EPA (+12.75) in the game, the strongest overall impact for New England Patriots. Across 45 counted snaps, they averaged +0.28 EPA per play.
Drake Maye's top snap (-6.66 EPA): (10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE -1. TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
Drake Maye led all passers in efficiency for New England Patriots, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- Drake Maye (New England Patriots) · 45 dropbacks · 48.9% completion · +7.8% CPOE · +0.28 EPA/play · +12.75 total EPA
- Jonathan Allen (Buffalo Bills) · 35 dropbacks · 45.7% completion · -4.1% CPOE · +0.06 EPA/play · +2.13 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency.
| Stat | New England Patriots | Buffalo Bills |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.035 | +0.073 |
| Offensive success rate | 51.6% | 48.6% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.283 | +0.061 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.317 | -0.018 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.073 | -0.035 |
| Defensive success rate | 51.4% | 48.4% |
Drive & efficiency notes
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (New England Patriots +0.04, Buffalo Bills +0.07) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
Season benchmark context (offensive EPA per play):
- New England Patriots: +0.04 EPA/play (53rd percentile vs. 2024 team-game averages)
- Buffalo Bills: +0.07 EPA/play (64th percentile vs. 2024 team-game averages)
- Buffalo Bills: 10 drives, +5.41 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- New England Patriots: 10 drives, +3.14 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal from official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- New England Patriots — Kayshon Boutte (Drake Maye pass)
- New England Patriots — Rhamondre Stevenson
- Buffalo Bills — James Cook III
- Buffalo Bills — James Cook III (Jonathan Allen pass)
- Buffalo Bills — Drake Maye
- New England Patriots — Hunter Henry (Drake Maye pass)
Field goals
- Buffalo Bills — Tyler Bass
Quarter by quarter
Quarter-by-quarter recap from live scoring plays.
The opening quarter: New England Patriots won the period 7–0. New England Patriots found the end zone from the BUF 28 (Q1 12:06) — (12:06) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass deep right to 9-K.Boutte for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New England Patriots added 1 points from the BUF 15 (Q1 12:01) — 13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer..
The second quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. New England Patriots found the end zone from the BUF 14 (Q2 14:21) — (14:21) 38-R.Stevenson right guard for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New England Patriots added 1 points from the BUF 15 (Q2 14:16) — 13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer.; Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the NE 46 (Q2 12:05) — (12:05) (Shotgun) 70-A.Anderson reported in as eligible. 4-J.Cook left tackle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the NE 15 (Q2 11:56) — 2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin..
The third quarter: Buffalo Bills won the period 10–0. Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the NE 4 (Q3 9:45) — (9:45) (Shotgun) 17-J.Allen pass short left to 4-J.Cook for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the NE 15 (Q3 9:41) — 2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.; Buffalo Bills connected on a field goal from the NE 32 (Q3 6:07) — (6:07) 2-T.Bass 50 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin..
The fourth quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the BUF 88 (Q4 10:17) — (10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE -1. TOUCHDOWN.; Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the NE 15 (Q4 10:10) — 2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin.; New England Patriots found the end zone from the BUF 9 (Q4 1:17) — (1:17) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass short right to 85-H.Henry for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New England Patriots added 1 points from the BUF 15 (Q4 1:13) — 13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most.
- New England Patriots (Q3 1:58) — (1:58) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass deep right intended for 81-A.Hooper INTERCEPTED by 39-C.Lewis at BUF -1. Touchback.
- New England Patriots (Q4 10:17) — (10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE -1. TOUCHDOWN.
- New England Patriots (Q3 2:38) — (2:38) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass short right to 38-R.Stevenson to BUF 16 for 13 yards (24-C.Bishop).
- Buffalo Bills (Q3 9:45) — (9:45) (Shotgun) 17-J.Allen pass short left to 4-J.Cook for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Buffalo Bills (Q2 12:05) — (12:05) (Shotgun) 70-A.Anderson reported in as eligible. 4-J.Cook left tackle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Impact plays
Highest EPA snaps that flipped field position.
- New England Patriots (Q4 10:17) — (10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE -1. TOUCHDOWN.
- New England Patriots (Q3 1:58) — (1:58) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass deep right intended for 81-A.Hooper INTERCEPTED by 39-C.Lewis at BUF -1. Touchback.
- New England Patriots (Q3 9:09) — (9:09) 38-R.Stevenson right tackle to NE 39 for 1 yard (50-G.Rousseau; 43-T.Bernard). FUMBLES (50-G.Rousseau), RECOVERED by BUF-42-Do.Williams at NE 42.
- Buffalo Bills (Q2 12:05) — (12:05) (Shotgun) 70-A.Anderson reported in as eligible. 4-J.Cook left tackle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with play-by-play context.
- New England Patriots TD (+6) — Q1 12:06 · BUF 28 · Score 6-0
(12:06) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass deep right to 9-K.Boutte for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - New England Patriots XP (+1) — Q1 12:01 · BUF 15 · Score 7-0
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer. - New England Patriots TD (+6) — Q2 14:21 · BUF 14 · Score 13-0
(14:21) 38-R.Stevenson right guard for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - New England Patriots XP (+1) — Q2 14:16 · BUF 15 · Score 14-0
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer. - Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q2 12:05 · NE 46 · Score 14-6
(12:05) (Shotgun) 70-A.Anderson reported in as eligible. 4-J.Cook left tackle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q2 11:56 · NE 15 · Score 14-7
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin. - Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q3 9:45 · NE 4 · Score 14-13
(9:45) (Shotgun) 17-J.Allen pass short left to 4-J.Cook for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q3 9:41 · NE 15 · Score 14-14
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin. - Buffalo Bills FG (+3) — Q3 6:07 · NE 32 · Score 14-17
(6:07) 2-T.Bass 50 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin. - Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q4 10:17 · BUF 88 · Score 14-23
(10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE -1. TOUCHDOWN. - Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q4 10:10 · NE 15 · Score 14-24
2-T.Bass extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-8-S.Martin. - New England Patriots TD (+6) — Q4 1:17 · BUF 9 · Score 20-24
(1:17) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-D.Maye pass short right to 85-H.Henry for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - New England Patriots XP (+1) — Q4 1:13 · BUF 15 · Score 21-24
13-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-17-B.Baringer.
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research and follow-up box score digging.
- Buffalo Bills earned the result — use the box score for snap-level context.
- One-score margin — verify garbage-time stats before drawing fantasy conclusions.
- Drake Maye (New England Patriots) led total EPA — start here for highlight and prop research.
- Drake Maye (NE) finished above expected through the air (positive CPOE).
Frequently asked questions
Who won New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills on 2024-12-22?
The Buffalo Bills beat the New England Patriots 24-21 in Week 16, 2024.
What was the score by quarter in New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills?
Q1: New England Patriots 7, Buffalo Bills 0; Q2: New England Patriots 7, Buffalo Bills 7; Q3: New England Patriots 0, Buffalo Bills 10; Q4: New England Patriots 7, Buffalo Bills 7; Final: New England Patriots 21, Buffalo Bills 24.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills?
New England Patriots touchdown — K. Boutte (D. Maye pass) (Q1 12:06) New England Patriots touchdown — R. Stevenson (Q2 14:21) Buffalo Bills touchdown — J. Cook (Q2 12:05) Buffalo Bills touchdown — J. Cook (J. Allen pass) (Q3 9:45) Buffalo Bills touchdown — D. Maye (Q4 10:17) New England Patriots touchdown — H. Henry (D. Maye pass) (Q4 1:17) Buffalo Bills field goal — T. Bass (Q3 6:07, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills?
Drake Maye (New England Patriots), 48.9% completion, +7.8% CPOE, +0.28 EPA per dropback, +12.75 total passing EPA. Jonathan Allen (Buffalo Bills), 45.7% completion, -4.1% CPOE, +0.06 EPA per dropback, +2.13 total passing EPA.
Who was FantasyHQ's player of the game in New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills?
Drake Maye (New England Patriots) was FantasyHQ's Game MVP with +12.75 total EPA on Passing plays. across 45 snaps. Their top snap (-6.66 EPA): (10:17) (Shotgun) 10-D.Maye FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 3, RECOVERED by BUF-7-Ta.Johnson at NE -1. TOUCHDOWN..
Was New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Buffalo Bills won 24-21 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
New England Patriots
Entered 3-11 Now 3-12 L
Buffalo Bills
Entered 11-3 Now 12-3 W
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