FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots were a half away from ending Buffalo’s five-year reign atop the AFC East.
But after allowing Josh Allen and the Bills to score touchdowns on five straight possessions, the postgame message Sunday following a 35-31 loss centered on the Patriots not making the same mistakes with three games still to play.
“Move on to next week and learn from it,” said quarterback Drake Maye, who rushed for two touchdowns but also threw an interception in the third quarter that proved costly when Allen led the Bills to score that put Buffalo up 28-24.
The Patriots remain at the top of the AFC East standings with three games remaining, They have a one-game lead over the Bills.
“We know we have some football that’s still very important. Keep your head up, knowing that we had a chance. We were there. They made more plays and credit to them,” Maye said.
After scoring on four of their first five possessions to build a 24-7 halftime advantage, the Patriots were outscored 28-7 in the second half. New England possessed the ball just 7:20 seconds in the final two quarters.
A win over Buffalo would have resulted in a season sweep of the team that’s sat atop the division for the balance of the decade. It also could have kept the Patriots on pace with Denver, the top challenger for this year’s top seed in the conference.
Now, it’s about looking ahead after Buffalo snapped New England’s 10-game winning streak.
“It was a long stretch where we were feeling good about ourselves,” Maye said. “Now it’s about responding from losing to a good team.”
Over the final two quarters, the Patriots' lone touchdown of the second half came on a one-play drive, as rookie TreVeyon Henderson ripped off a 65-yard touchdown run that helped New England regain the lead in the fourth quarter at 31-28.
“We knew that Buffalo was going to come in and give it their best. The biggest thing is to see what we can learn and just continue to grow from here,” said Henderson, who added a 52-yard touchdown run in the first half as part of his strong day on the ground (148 yards on 14 carries).
A pass-interference call on New England’s Carlton Davis helped set the stage for James Cook's 11-yard touchdown run that would put the Bills up for good.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to keep your foot on the pedal and keep it going, and don’t let them dictate,” said Maye, whose final pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage by Buffalo All-Pro Joey Bosa.
Cornerback Marcus Jones said their confidence remains high.
“It’s nothing that we haven’t been through before. We just have to get back to the things we need to get corrected and not look too far into the future, and just get ready for next week,” he said.
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New England Patriots running back Treveyon Henderson, middle, stiff arms Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) during the first half of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, middle, is sacked by Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Matt Milano, left, as linebacker Dorian Williams follows the play during the second half of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Senegal leaving the field to protest referee decisions before winning the Africa Cup of Nations title amid shocking chaos was “unacceptable,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Monday.
Infantino criticized the Senegal coaches, players and some fans for their behavior at the end of regulation time against host nation Morocco that was astonishing for the final of an international competition.
“The ugly scenes witnessed (Sunday) must be condemned and never repeated,” the FIFA leader posted on his Instagram account after attending the game in Rabat.
“I expect that the relevant disciplinary bodies at CAF (the Confederation of African Football) will take the appropriate measures,” Infantino wrote.
CAF also described the incidents as unacceptable in a later statement, and said it is “reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty.”
That legal path was not enough for the Morocco soccer federation, which reacted to losing its home tournament — four years before it co-hosts the 2030 World Cup — with an unusual demand Monday.
The Moroccan federation said it would pursue legal action with CAF and FIFA about the Senegal players leaving the field in protest that forced a 15-minute stop in a game they would go on to win 1-0 in extra time.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw faces severe sanctions for his part leading this players back to the locker room when Morocco was awarded a penalty in stoppage time at the end of regulation time. The spot-kick would eventually be missed in bizarre circumstances.
It is unclear if any ban imposed on Thiaw would apply just in future African competitions or at FIFA's World Cup in North America. Senegal starts its World Cup playing France on June 16 at MetLife Stadium near New York, where it also plays Norway six days later.
Senegal’s team and fans were angered by being denied what shaped as a title-winning goal early in stoppage time of a 0-0 draw when the referee called a foul to rule out the goal.
Minutes later, Morocco was awarded a penalty after a video review which judged star forward Brahim Diaz had been pulled to the ground by a Senegal defender when a corner was taken.
The controversial decision further fueled a feeling by Morocco’s opponents that the team was getting favorable decisions at a tournament which has been a showcase for co-hosting the 2030 World Cup for FIFA.
Thiaw encouraged his players to leave the field and so prevent Diaz taking the penalty kick that could decide the title. Senegal fans clashed with police at the other end of the stadium.
“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport. It is simply not right,” Infantino wrote.
“We must always respect the decisions taken by the match officials on and off the field of play,” the FIFA president added. “Teams must compete on the pitch and within the Laws of the Game, because anything less puts the very essence of football at risk.”
Morocco coach Walid Regragui later called the incidents a “shameful” image of African soccer for the rest of the world to see.
When the players returned, and in the remarkable 24th minute of stoppage time, Diaz took one of the worst penalties in soccer history.
The Real Madrid forward's slow chip shot — known as a Panenka, after the Czech player who did it 50 years ago to win the European title against West Germany — was weak, low and easily saved by Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy.
Diaz posted an apology to Morocco fans on social media Monday.
The game went into extra time and Senegal won it four minutes in with a powerful shot by Pape Gueye.
“My best wishes as well to Abdoulaye Fall, president of the Senegalese Football Association, and to everyone involved in this success,” Infantino wrote.
“It is also the responsibility of teams and players,” he said, “to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world.”
The Morocco soccer federation — led by one of the most influential officials in world soccer, CAF first vice president and FIFA Council member Fouzi Lekjaa — asked those soccer bodies to rule on the Senegal team's walk off and the events surrounding it.
“This situation has had a significant impact on the normal flow of the match and on the players’ performance,” the federation said.
In sports law, decisions of the referee on the field of play typically stand and are not re-litigated later.
AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations
Senegal's head coach Pape Thiaw holds the trophy after winning the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match agaisnt Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Players from both sides clash after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco late on during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Youssef Loulidi)
Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino present Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz with the trophy of the best scorer after the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Senegal supporters are taken from the stadium by security officers after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco late on during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Youssef Loulidi)
