Image courtesy of Adrian Kraus/AP Photo)

Ugly is an understatement when trying to sum up the Bills-Pats game in Orchard Park on Sunday.

Turnovers ruled the day as New England handed Buffalo the ball four times en route to a 27-21 loss.

Bailey Zappe had three first half interceptions and even though the Pats were in it late thanks to another impressive defensive effort, New England dropped to 4-12 on the year while Buffalo (10-6) kept its hope for the AFC East title alive.

The Pats defense held the Bills to just 281 yards of offense – actually out-gaining Buffalo by 13 yards – but as has been the case all year, the offense didn’t hold up its end of the bargain.

“Obviously, just a terrible first 20 minutes…we just gave them too big of a lead and couldn’t quite get it back,” said Bill Belichick. “Turnovers obviously the big story in the game…can’t make those kinds of mistakes against Buffalo.”

Jalen Reagor got the day started with a bang, returning the opening kickoff 98 yards right up the middle for a touchdown. The scene was eerily similar to what unfolded in opposite fashion a year ago when the Bills brought back the opening kickoff against New England.

Buffalo answered with a three-and-out, but on the Patriots’ first offensive snap, Ed Oliver came up with an impressive diving catch on a tipped ball for an interception at the New England 21. Four plays later, the Bills settled for a field goal to cut it to 7-3 less than three minutes in.

After trading punts, Zappe (16-26, 209, 0 TD, 3 INT) had a terrible interception on the first play of another drive, with Rasul Douglas – who also had the tip on the first interception – picking him off at the New England 14. Four snaps later, Josh Allen (15-30, 169, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2 rushing TD) rumbled in from a yard out for his 14th rushing TD, putting Buffalo up 10-7 despite Allen having not completed a pass yet on two drives totaling eight plays and 18 yards.

Just two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Pharaoh Brown caught a short pass – the first completion for either team through 10 attempts – turned up field and was stripped for another Pats’ turnover, giving the Bills the ball at the Pats’ 30. The Bills were able to get to the six, but the defense held strong again and forced another short field goal.

Another near immediate three-and-out followed for the Patriots offense and the Pats ended the first 15 minutes with a total of just 18 yards. Keion White, Christian Barmore and Mack Wilson continued to get good pressure and forced another Bills punt with four seconds left in the quarter, pinning New England at the five. Kevin Harris ended the marathon first with a big run out to the 20. Stunningly, both teams had negative passing yards (-10 Buffalo, -3 New England) through 15 minutes.

Douglas continued to eat Zappe’s lunch early in the second, coming up with another interception, this time housing it from 40 yards out for a pick-six and a 20-7 lead. To put into context just how bad it was, at this point, Zappe had three completed passes for 19 yards and three interceptions thrown for a total of 50 return yards.

On the next possession, a huge screen to Kevin Harris for 48 yards suddenly had New England at the Buffalo 17 after it looked like he fumbled moments earlier but was down. That screen set up a 17 yard TD run from Zappe on the next play and brought the Pats within six.

Buffalo put a nice drive together to respond, but Allen pulled his best Zappe impression, throwing a horrible deep ball up for grabs that Alex Austin easily intercepted at the New England 12. Zappe used his legs and a few nice throws to Tyquan Thornton and Mike Gesicki to reach the Buffalo 32 before the drive stalled just after the two minute warning. Chad Ryland pushed a 47 yard field goal left as his roller coaster season continues. Thankfully, the Bills’ offensive struggles continued as they took just 33 seconds off the clock before having to punt.

The Pats were pinned at their own seven with 1:05 to play and three timeouts, but given how ugly the first 30 minutes were, Belichick was fine taking things to halftime with New England only down six.

“It was tough, you can’t win football games when you turn the ball over,” said Zappe. “We’re playing good, we’re just not putting two halves together. We need our entire offense executing together, communication wise and all those things. If we take away those four turnovers, you know what happens, who knows? We can’t go back, can’t change it, just got to move on.”

Buffalo quickly opened up the third quarter with a 50 yard catch and run for Dalton Kincaid, setting up a short Allen TD run a few plays later to push it to 27-14. Nee England’s only possession of the third quarter ended in a punt after Ryland missed a 53 yard field goal, but delay of game was called before the miss. The first play of the fourth quarter with Buffalo still up 13 was a 3rd-&-1 run stuff for the Patriots’ defense, forcing a punt that gave the offense the ball at the New England 16.

The offense responded in impressive fashion, marching 84 yards in seven plays and taking just 3:09 off the clock. The biggest play of the drive was a 38 yard dime down the left sideline from Zappe to Reagor, who made a fantastic adjustment to catch the ball. Pop Douglas had a big run on a screen and then absorbed a late hit out of bounds, setting up a six yard TD run by Eziekel Elliott, cutting it to 27-21 with 11:01 remaining.

The defense got another stop and the ball back one more time, but pinned inside its own three, the Pats offense went three-and-out, punted with around five minutes left and never saw the ball again as the Bills gained a few first downs to run out the clock.

“That first half, you can’t do that,” said David Andrews. “You can’t turn the ball over four times and obviously, when we got it going we were able to have success. Now, we need to finish some drives better, but obviously…it’s hard to win football games when you turn the ball over four times.”

With Arizona upsetting Philadelphia, it wasn’t all bad as the Patriots left Orchard Park with the No. 3 overall pick heading into the season finale against the Jets next Sunday. The Pats are also in a nail-biting strength of schedule race with Washington for the No. 2 pick.

This team won’t be thinking about that though. They’ll show up looking to win a football game trying to end this abysmal season on a high note.

Who knows, if you have a ticket next Sunday you very well may be watching Bill Belichick’s last game here as too.

“We’ve got one more opportunity with this football team,” Andrews added. “I think as a young guy that’s hard to realize…it’s not going to be the same. First time in college yeah the seniors are leaving, but it’s going to be the same football team for the most part. The NFL it’s not like that. Guys retire, guys get cut, guys get traded, guys leave in free agency, whatever it is, there’s all different routes and avenues. This is the last opportunity for this football team to play together and when you get older you value that because you know.

“I’ve seen the turnover in my room, things like that. Just want to take advantage of every opportunity you get because you never know when it’s going to be the last. We have a great opportunity to finish the year right in front of our home fans.”