Patriots vs. Bills live updates: Score, news, discussion for NFL Week 4

Having lost two of their first three games of the season, the New England Patriots are already looking up in the AFC East standings. The reigning division champions are trailing the 3-0 Buffalo Bills by a significant margin already, and are under pressure to start making up some ground even this early in the season.

They will have a chance to do so on Sunday, taking on these very Bills in a Week 4 meeting. However, the task at hand is a difficult one.

Not only are the Patriots coming off the worst loss of the Mike Vrabel era — a 35-6 shellacking at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars — they are also missing some core contributors in all three phases. Add the fact that they will be playing on the road, and you can see why Buffalo is favored to ultimately come away with a victory to further increase the difference between the two rivals.

Of course, the old “every given Sunday” adage still holds true. The last time the two sides met in Orchard Park under somewhat similar circumstances is a clear reminder of that. Could a repeat performance be in the cards today as well? Let’s find out together.

Welcome to our Patriots-Bills live tracker and community discussion.

Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. ET | Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, NY) | Broadcast information | Inactives | Game day roster | Weather forecast

Joined by game day captain and ex-Bill Reggie Gilliam, the Patriots called called tails only to see the ceremonial coin come up tails. With Buffalo opting to start on offense, a short-handed New England defense missing the likes of Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore was up first. On the first series of the game, it did not matter: the home team went three-and-out with Kevin Byard breaking up a pass on third down.

Marcus Jones fumbled the ball on the ensuing punt return, but since a Bill had touched the ball before he did to pat it back into the field of play, the Patriots did retain possession.

Unlike its Buffalo counterpart, the Patriots offense did manage to move the chains on its initial possession of the game. A Drake Maye scramble and passes to tight ends Eli Raridon and Hunter Henry gave the unit some breathing room after starting at its 3-yard line. New England did face a 4th-and-3 in Buffalo territory, but Maye connected with Romeo Doubs to move the chains. One play later, the pair connected again on a 14-yard touchdown pass — capping a 12-play, 97-yard drive in style. | Patriots 7 : 0 Bills

The Patriots defense started its second series with a 4-yard Elijah Ponder sack of Josh Allen, but Buffalo managed to keep the series alive despite subsequently facing third or fourth down three different times — knocking on the door as the first quarter came to a close.

After converting a 3rd-and-6 to start the second quarter, the Bills found the end zone on an 8-yard James Cook run to even the score. | Patriots 7 : 7 Bills

The Patriots offense got a gift to start its second drive, with Bills kicker Tyler Bass sending the kickoff after his team’s touchdown short of the landing zone. However, the unit failed to capitalize even though it found himself on the Buffalo side of the field again after a TreVeyon Henderson reverse for 10 yards. Unfortunately for New Engalnd, though, the series – as has been the case too often this year – ended with a turnover: a Drake Maye strip sack was recovered by the Bills.

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