Patriots Pull Out 22-19 Win : Fryar, Hurt During Game, Also Injured in Car Accident

The New England Patriots are getting less dramatic about the way they are winning games. But at least they’re not losing those games.

Greg Baty’s first NFL touchdown, on a 13-yard pass from Tony Eason with 1:40 left, gave the Patriots a 22-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills Sunday and extended their winning streak to six games.

A week earlier, they beat the Rams, 30-28, on Eason’s 25-yard Hail Mary pass to Irving Fryar on the last play of the game.

This Sunday, there were no happy endings for Fryar. He suffered a separated left shoulder early in the second quarter and then, after leaving the stadium, suffered a concussion in a car accident.

A Patriot spokesman said Fryar was driving around Foxboro, listening to the game on the radio, when he lost control of his car at an intersection and crashed into a tree.

Fryar was taken to Norwood Hospital in Foxboro and then transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston where he was held overnight for further testing and X-rays.

Fryar was one of seven Patriots who were injured during the game. The most seriously hurt was Steve Moore, who will miss the remainder of the season with a broken ankle.

Suffering less serious injuries, mostly sprains, strained hamstrings and groins and bruises, were offensive linemen Paul Fairchild and Darryl Haley, linebackers Steve Nelson and Larry McGrew, and defensive backs Roland James and Rod McSwain. None were able to return after leaving the game, and are on a day-to-day basis.

Despite the injuries, New England improved to 9-3, while Buffalo fell to 3-9 and extended its losing streak on the road to 22 games.

Buffalo erased a 15-0 deficit and went ahead 19-15 on Jim Kelly’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Robb Riddick with 2:50 left.

“Buffalo didn’t disappoint us, did they?” New England Coach Raymond Berry said. “Our philosophy all week was that they were a fine, hustling football team.”

But the Bills couldn’t stop Eason on the Patriots’ winning drive. He completed passes on all 5 plays in the series, covering 60 yards in 1:10.

“Tony Eason told the guys in the huddle that ‘If you protect me, I guarantee that we’ll score,’ ” Berry said. “They protected him.”

Baty, a rookie tight end from Stanford who was drafted on the eighth round, beat defensive back Dwight Drane and made the catch in the left corner of the end zone.

“He got a hand on the ball, but when I have two hands on the ball, I’m going to win that battle,” Baty said.

Buffalo had one last chance. But Ronnie Lippett got his AFC-leading eighth interception with 1:02 remaining at the New England 22 on Kelly’s pass to Chris Burkett over the middle.