мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼

Cook (11 rushes for 100 yards) scored touchdowns rushing and receiving, and the Bills forced three second-half takeaways in a 24-21 win at frigid Highmark Stadium, where the kickoff temperature of 14 degrees tumbled to 7 by the final buzzer.

The Bills recovered a New England onside kick with 1:11 remaining and ran out the clock.

The Bills improved to 12-3 this season (7-0 at home) and hold a two-game lead over Pittsburgh and Baltimore for the AFC’s No. 2 seed.

A recap of Patriots-Bills:

Takeaways

• The Patriots, with rookie quarterback Drake Maye, rolled up 238 first-half yards and converted five of their first six third-down opportunities. When New England made it 14-0, it was the sixth consecutive touchdown drive by a Bills opponent. Six! The Patriots’ 16-play drive was tied for the longest allowed by the Bills this season, the 91 yards third longest and the 9:57 time of possession the longest. In the second half, though, the Patriots were held to 131 yards.
• Quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills’ passing game looked out of sorts. There was a reason Allen’s third-down pass early in the fourth quarter looked like a pitching-wedge shot. He appeared to injure his right elbow earlier in the drive; he said he hit his funny bone and it took 5-10 minutes for him to regain total feeling. Allen did not miss a snap.
• The Bills emphasized the running game to start the second half. It was the right call. Cook gained 25, 5, 5, 2 and 3 yards on the drive. The possession was capped by Cook’s 4-yard touchdown catch on third down to tie the score at 14.
• Reality set in for New England in the second half when its first three possessions ended with a fumble (linebacker Dorian Williams forced, and linebacker Terrel Bernard recovered), an interception (safety Cam Lewis) and a fumble recovery touchdown (cornerback Taron Johnson). On the Johnson touchdown, Maye’s pass intended for running back Rhamondre Stevenson was a lateral. Defensive end Greg Rousseau knocked Stevenson to the turf, allowing Johnson to recover.

Did you notice?

• Fill-in safety Lewis had a tough go on New England’s second possession. On first down from the Bills’ 8, Lewis was called for pass interference on receiver DeMario Douglas. On the next play from scrimmage, Lewis missed an open-field tackle on Stevenson’s 14-yard touchdown carry to make it 14-0. Lewis redeemed himself with a third-quarter interception in the end zone.
• Allen’s interception-that-can-be-spun-as-being-a-punt in the Patriots’ end zone was the Bills’ first turnover since the second quarter of the Week 11 Kansas City game, a span of 224 offensive plays.
• Receiver Mack Hollins again was drafted to be a defensive back for Hail Mary purposes on the final play of the second quarter. He was not involved in the Patriots’ short pass.
• First-half time of possession: New England 20:20, Bills 9:40.
• Linebacker Baylon Spector (calf) was unable to finish the game. Rookie Joe Andreessen played fourth-quarter snaps on defense.
• When cornerback Taron Johnson was flagged and removed from the game to be evaluated for a concussion early in the fourth quarter, Ja’Marcus Ingram entered in the nickel spot.
• The Bills committed five defensive penalties on a fourth-quarter New England drive that kept the Patriots’ hopes alive. Flagged were defensive end Dawuane Smoot (encroachment), Bernard (unnecessary roughness) and cornerbacks Ingram (pass interference) and Kaiir Elam (two for pass interference). The Patriots finally took advantage on tight end Hunter Henry’s 9-yard touchdown catch with 1:13 remaining.

Game balls

RB James Cook. His 46-yard touchdown carry in the second quarter was his fourth of touchdown of at least 40 yards this year, breaking the franchise record he held with O.J. Simpson (three in 1973, 1975 and 1976). Cook’s home-run touchdowns are 49 yards at Miami, 65 vs. San Francisco, 41 at Detroit and 46 vs. New England. More Cook: It was his third career game with at least one rushing and one receiving touchdown.

CB Taron Johnson. His fumble recovery touchdown after a New England lateral pushed the Bills’ lead to 24-14 with 10:10 remaining. It was his fourth career touchdown (including playoffs) and first fumble recovery for a score.

Gassers

DE A.J. Epenesa. The Patriots faced a third-and-2 from the Bills’ 13 late in the first quarter, but Epenesa was called for encroachment, handing New England a free first down. It was Epenesa’s third penalty of the season.

RT Spencer Brown. He had two penalties (illegal formation and false start), giving him 12 for the season.

Penalty problems. The Bills tied their season high with 13 penalties.

Special teams. A 42-yard kickoff return allowed. A penalty on another kick coverage play. And a fake punt allowed to extend a New England drive. All in the first half.

Next

The New York Jets (4-11) visit the Bills at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Jets lost 19-9 at home Sunday to the Los Angeles Rams and have gone 2-8 since firing coach Robert Saleh. The Jets have added receiver Davante Adams since the Bills won the teams’ first matchup in Week 6.