The New England Patriots wrapped up the No. 2 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs on Sunday, beating the Buffalo Bills 34-20 to close the regular season on a rainy day in Foxboro.
Bills vs. Patriots 2013 recap: New England rides LeGarrette Blount to 1st-round bye
Blount rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots clinched the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
The Bills attempted to mount a second-half rally with a pair of touchdowns to pull to within seven points, but the grinding attack of the Patriots, led by LeGarrette Blount, kept them at bay by eating up chunks of yardage and clock down the stretch.
Blount finished with 24 carries for 189 yards and two touchdowns. His 35-yard touchdown run with just over two minutes remaining gave the Patriots a 14-point lead and iced the game for New England.
The Bills’ season comes to an inglorious 6-10 finish.
First-half scoring was mostly in the form of field goals, with the Patriots hitting three and Buffalo hitting one. New England scored the game’s first touchdown when Blount broke through a gaping hole and raced 36 yards to take a 13-3 lead.
A 29-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal with four seconds remaining in the second quarter gave the Patriots a 13-point lead heading into halftime.
The slumbering Buffalo offense finally woke up in the second half. Thaddeus Lewis hit T.J. Graham for a 12-yard touchdown, then Fred Jackson found the endzone from five yards out to pull Buffalo to within 24-17. Fred Jackson then scored on a five-yard run to make it 24-17. It would be as close as Buffalo could get.
Injury report
Patriots guard Logan Mankins left with an ankle injury during the first half.
Did they cover?
The Patriots covered the 8½-point spread listed at Oddsshark.com.
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