Drake Maye, Patriots saved season with win over the Bills

Welcome to the Unconventional Review, an instant reaction to standouts, stats, and story lines from the Patriots’ most recent game …

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Early last season, the Patriots came here, delivered a stirring performance on Sunday Night Football, and departed with a win to savor, setting off a magical run.

Sunday afternoon, the Patriots came here again, in dire need of a victory after a 1-2 start. They got that victory — against an unbeaten Bills team, just as they did in Week 5 a year ago — and they did it in a fashion as compelling as last year’s.

We don’t know what will come after the Patriots’ 29-26 victory Sunday. Perhaps they’ll go on another extraordinary run, though injury attrition makes that seem unlikely. But we do know this: the Patriots rescued their season. And with that, earned some benefit of the doubt.

Some further thoughts, upon immediate review …

Three players worth watching

Players suggested in the Unconventional Preview: Hunter Henry, Greg Rousseau, James Cook.

Efton Chism: Well, this performance has to move the second-year pass-catcher ahead of DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams on the Wide Receiver Trust Tree, doesn’t it? Chism, who entered the game with two receptions for minus-1 yard this season, might have been (hockey term) the game’s first star after his sensational one-handed grab on third and 5 with 1:50 left went for a 23-yard touchdown, giving the Patriots a 27-26 lead. (A crafty, straight-out of-2025 2-point conversion throw to Rhamondre Stevenson made it 29-26.) Chism’s first catch of the game occurred on the same drive, when on second and 10 from the Bills 47 with just under three minutes remaining, when he hauled in 19-yard completion over the middle, absorbing a hard hit and nearly getting flipped in midair. Any Welker/Edelman comparisons — I know some of you like to make those — remain absurdly premature at best, but it was encouraging to see his oft-mention production in practice translate to gameday.

Romeo Doubs: Speaking of that theoretical receiver trust tree, it appears the former Packer, who has been spotty in his first season as a Patriot, has earned Maye’s faith. Doubs collected a team-high six receptions (on nine targets) for 58 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His first score, a 14-yard catch after zipping left to right across the end zone, capped an impressive and perhaps unexpected 12-play, 97-yard drive on the Patriots’ opening possession. His second score, 2-yarder, capped another lengthy drive, this one covering 73 yards on 14 plays to open the second half. That gave the Patriots a 21-17 lead. Doubs was involved in one of the Patriots’ bigger gaffes (we’ll get to that a few adjectives from here). But overall? A fine day for No. 87. Hmmm, maybe he is worthy of that number.

Craig Woodson: The second-year safety served as the defensive day-saver for this one, high-pointing a Josh Allen moonball at the Patriots 19 with 1:14 left for his first interception of the season. It was a bit of redemption — and a confirmation of his resilience — after he had been in coverage on Keon Coleman’s go-ahead 34-yard touchdown catch on Buffalo’s previous possession. Woodson, who also had a pass defensed and three tackles, missed last week’s ugly loss to the Jaguars. With Christian Gonzalez out with a shoulder injury this week, Woodson was essential in keeping Allen from having his way with the secondary.

Grievance of the game

Maye’s performance was mostly a cause for optimism, especially on the scale of how he’s playing this season. But a bad throw and some lousy luck very late in the second quarter gifted the Bills a field goal and a 17-14 halftime lead. With just 16 seconds left in the half and the Patriots at their 36, Maye threw a pass to Doubs that looked similar to the one that A.J. Brown got hurt on against the Seahawks. This throw was also low, and it deflected off Doubs into the waiting hands of Bills defensive back Dee Alford. He returned it 37 yards to the Patriots 9, setting up a 27-yard Tyler Bass field goal with two seconds left. It should be noted that center Jared Wilson hustled to keep Alford from taking the interception to the house, so at least part of the play escapes grievance territory.

Three notes scribbled in the margins

After catching just seven passes for 71 yards in the first three games, tight end Hunter Henry looked more like the player who has seemingly earned the full trust of every quarterback he has played with during his 11-year career. Henry finished with five catches for 62 yards, including a 12-yarder for a first down in the final minute. That victory-clincher brought one final resigned groan from Bills fans … Vrabel picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Bills’ second touchdown drive, saying after the game that he cursed at the official. That must be one sensitive zebra. If every ref threw a flag every time a coach cussed at him, the field would be constantly covered in yellow … Being on-site this week, I didn’t get to watch Ian Eagle and Ross Tucker’s call of the game. So I’m curious: what did you think of CBS’s No. 2 team?

Chad Finn

Sports columnist

Chad Finn is a sports columnist for Boston.com. He has been voted Favorite Sports Writer in Boston in the annual Channel Media Market and Research Poll for the past four years. He also writes a weekly sports media column for the Globe and contributes to Globe Magazine.