Final, Bills 17-9: The Patriots failed to score a touchdown at home for the first time since 2003. The Bills beat the Patriots in Gillette Stadium for the first time ever. This is the first time the Bills have beat the Patriots at home since 2000, when New England played in Foxboro Stadium.
Fourth quarter, 1:58, Bills 17-9: Jimmy Garoppolo has had some solid moments in the second half, but the Patriots still trail late. Garoppolo has run for 16 yards on four carries, but he’s constantly been under pressure behind a rough backup offensive line.
Garoppolo’s best moment came on a 9-yard scramble for a first down on third and 6 early in the fourth quarter.
Nate Solder left the game with a knee injury and has been ruled out. Brandon LaFell appeared to injure his foot and hasn’t returned.
Fourth quarter, 11:12, Bills 17-9: The Patriots held the Bills again, setting up a possible Jimmy Garoppolo comeback.
The Patriots have the ball on their own 17-yard line.
Third quarter, 0:37, Bills 17-9: The Patriots have crawled back and now trail by a touchdown and two-point conversion.
Garoppolo is 5-of-8 passing for 41 yards in the second half. LeGarrette Blount is the Patriots’ leading rusher with 63 yards on nine carries. Wideout Brandon LaFell leads the team with 56 receiving yards on three catches.
Third quarter, 2:55, Bills 17-6: Somehow, this game seems even less meaningful than the fourth and final preseason game.
The Patriots forced a punt. Danny Amendola gave the Patriots solid field position on his 26-yard return. They have the ball on the Bills’ 44-yard line.
Third quarter, 5:51, Bills 17-6: The Patriots successfully ran down some clock, but they weren’t able to come out of the drive with any points. On fourth and 1, Garoppolo scrambled to his left to try to pick up the first down. He was brought down for a 1-yard loss.
Garoppolo is 2 for 4 passing for 14 yards with two carries for 3 yards.
Third quarter, 12:03, Bills 17-6: The Patriots’ defense came out looking a little better in the second half. With no Darrelle Revis or Devin McCourty, they forced a three-and-out. Akeem Ayers sacked Orton for a 6-yard loss on third down.
Third quarter, 13:45, Bills 17-6: The rookie QB wasn’t helped much by his offensive line, which from left to right went Cannon, Kline, Stork, Wendell, Fleming.
Garoppolo completed a 5-yard pass to Vereen on first down, was sacked on third down and had to scramble away from pressure on third down, throwing an incomplete pass to Wright.
Third quarter, 15:00, Bills 17-6: Garoppolo officially has entered the game.
End half, Bills 17-6: It’s important not to panic after watching that first half. Six starters are out for the Patriots, and they’re not exactly showing their whole hand in this meaningless game.
Of course, that raises questions why Brady was out there for more than the first play, but only Bill Belichick can — and won’t — answer that.
The Patriots will get the ball to start the second half, and Jimmy Garoppolo should be taking the first snap.
Second quarter, 2:14, Bills 17-6: Cornerback Darrelle Revis forced a field goal after deflecting a third-quarter pass from Kyle Orton to Sammy Watkins. Linebacker Darius Fleming had a nice run stuff earlier in the drive on running back C.J. Spiller.
Second quarter, 5:07, Bills 14-6: Tom Brady was sacked in Week 17, and football fans nationwide are wondering why Tom Brady still is in this game.
The Patriots settled for a field goal after moving the ball successfully on offense. Perhaps it’s Jimmy time on the next drive? It seems the Patriots’ starting offense wants a touchdown.
Second quarter, 8:31, Bills 14-3: Jamie Collins just made an incredible play, forcing a turnover.
He whiffed on a sack, then backtracked to successfully sack Kyle Orton, forcing a fumble. Then he scrambled for the recovery.
Second quarter, 9:22, Bills 14-3: The Patriots aren’t exactly showing their hand on offense either.
The Patriots are using their starters to prevent rust. Not to actually win this game.
Second quarter, 10:38, Bills 14-3: The Patriots let up another score to the Bills. It’s fair to say that the Patriots aren’t showing their full hand in this one.
Jonathan Casillas, in for Dont’a Hightower at linebacker, has struggled to cover tight ends so far.
Running back Boobie Dixon scored from 1-yard out.
End first quarter, Bills 7-3: We’ve got a real barnburner here in the Patriots’ meaningless regular-season finale. The Bills are driving again, and the Patriots’ defense isn’t playing real inspired football, allowing over 100 passing yards to Orton in the first 15 minutes of action.
First quarter, 3:02, Bills 7-3: The Patriots gained 80 yards but had to settle for a field goal after Tom Brady threw the ball away on third and 6.
Receiver Brian Tyms is getting involved early, catching three passes for 31 yards. Brandon LaFell went over 900 yards for the first time in his career witha 27-yard catch.
First quarter, 8:35, Bills 7-0: The Patriots forced a punt this time, only allowing one first down, a 20-yard reception to tight end Scott Chandler.
Tom Brady is on the field for the Patriots’ second offensive series.
First quarter, 10:47, Bills 7-0: Tom Brady received the start, as expected, and stayed in for the three-and-out. Brandon Bolden picked up 9 yards on two carries, and Brady threw an incomplete pass to the running back.
Brian Tyms, Bolden and Michael Hoomanawanui drew starts at receiver, running back and tight end, respectively. Danny Amendola and Brandon LaFell also started at wideout.
Here was the Patriots’ offensive line from left to right: Nate Solder, Josh Kline, Bryan Stork, Ryan Wendell, Marcus Cannon.
First quarter, 11:59, Bills 7-0: The Bills drove down the field without much trouble at all and scored from 6 yards out on a pass from Kyle Orton to wideout Robert Woods.
Darrelle Revis allowed a 43-yard reception to rookie receiver Sammy Watkins.
First quarter, 15:00: The Patriots won the toss and chose to defer. Here comes the kickoff.
12:38 p.m.: We have some breaking news on the Tom Brady lower-arm front: He put a glove on his left hand.
It looks like Josh Kline will start at left guard with Marcus Cannon at right tackle.
Cornerback Logan Ryan looks ready to take over for Browner across from Darrelle Revis at cornerback.
12:25 p.m.: Tom Brady doesn’t look like a player ready to take many snaps this afternoon.
The Patriots starting QB isn’t wearing his normal glove, his wrists aren’t taped, and he doesn’t have a play-call wristband on. Garoppolo has the QB wristband instead.
We might just see one handoff for Brady, and then he’ll leave the field, continuing his consecutive starts streak.
11:35 a.m.: If the Patriots want to get off to a hot start this afternoon, they’ll be doing it without their star tight end.
Here are the Patriots’ inactives:
TE Rob Gronkowski
WR Julian Edelman
RT Sebastian Vollmer
LG Dan Connolly
CB Brandon Browner
LB Dont’a Hightower
RB Jonas Gray
Gronkowski, Edelman, Vollmer, Connolly, Browner and Hightower all are starters for the Patriots. Gray is the only non-starter inactive for the Patriots.
Edelman (concussion/thigh), Vollmer (back), Connolly (knee), Browner (groin), Hightower (shoulder) and Gray (ankle) were listed on the injury report. Gronkowski is the only “healthy scratch.”
Expect tight end Tim Wright to see an increased workload with no Gronkowski. Danny Amendola should take over as a starter for Edelman. Marcus Cannon is likely to start at right tackle for Vollmer. Josh Kline or Cameron Fleming are likely to play left guard with no Connolly. Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler will likely play most of the game in place of Browner.
With two starting offensive linemen and his two favorite targets, it’s unlikely that Brady plays much this afternoon. It would make sense to start him and extend his games started streak and then bench him to big applause from the Gillette Stadium faithful.
11:20 a.m.: The Patriots reportedly extended director of player personnel Nick Caserio through 2020.
Garoppolo is among a group of players getting early work on the Gillette Stadium game field. The only starters spotted so far are running back Shane Vereen, wide receiver Brandon LaFell, safety Devin McCourty, center Bryan Stork and offensive tackle Nate Solder.
[tweet https://twitter.com/MikeGiardi/status/549236395437735936 align=center]
If Hightower doesn’t play, reserve linebackers Jonathan Casillas and Darius Fleming will see extended action.
Inactives are released in 10 minutes.
10:45 a.m. ET: New England Patriots rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo likely won’t just be relegated to sideline duty Sunday.
Garoppolo is expected to play against the Buffalo Bills in the Patriots’ meaningless regular-season finale. The Patriots are 12-3 going into Week 17 with the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs locked up. Because the Patriots have a first-round bye, they aren’t expected to rest their starters all game — to prevent rust — but they’ll still be getting plenty of rest in order to prevent injuries going into the postseason.
Wide receiver Julian Edelman, running back LeGarrette Blount, cornerback Kyle Arrington and guard Dan Connolly might not suit up at all because of nagging injuries. Quarterback Tom Brady, wideout Brandon LaFell, tight end Rob Gronkowski, defensive ends Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, linebackers Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower and defensive backs Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung likely will be pulled early because of their stature as important starters.
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. Stay here for news and analysis throughout the afternoon.