Bills Slowed but Not Stopped by Patriots : AFC: Thomas scores on 80-yard run in fourth quarter as Buffalo beats New England, 14-0.

The Buffalo Bills entered their game against the New England Patriots with an NFL-high 274 points.

Surprisingly, the Patriots held the Bills to 14 points, but that was still more than enough against the league’s worst team.

Thurman Thomas provided the clinching touchdown on an 80-yard run with under two minutes left Sunday to lead the Bills to a 14-0 victory.

The Bills (9-1), who scored 87 points in their previous two games, won for the eighth consecutive time. The Patriots (1-9) lost their eighth game in a row.

“We just got bad breaks,” Patriot running back George Adams said. “We took the field like we were 8-1, not 1-8. We know what we can do; it’s just a matter of time.”

It was the second shutout in three weeks for the Bills, who blanked Cleveland, 42-0, two weeks ago. The Patriots had not been shut out since Nov. 20, 1983, by Cleveland.

Thomas, who had 22 carries for 165 yards, also scored in the first quarter on a five-yard run.

Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly, the AFC’s top-rated passer, completed only five of 15 passes for 79 yards as the Bills managed only 288 yards of offense.

Patriot quarterback Marc Wilson completed 21 of 33 passes for 234 yards and had two passes intercepted.

The Patriots came closest to scoring early in the second quarter after driving 54 yards.

With the Bills leading, 7-0, the Patriots had a first and goal from the Buffalo one-yard-line. Three plays later, it was fourth-and-goal from the one and the Patriots went for it.

Marvin Allen, who ran effectively early in the game, tried to run off the right side of the offensive line. But Buffalo linebacker Ray Bentley shot through and stopped him for a one-yard loss.

“About four guys hit me and I shed them all and got in there,” Bentley said jokingly. “Actually, the guard pulled out of there and I just went in where he left and came through untouched.”

Bentley said he was surprised the Patriots tried to run the ball, but once they came to the line of scrimmage, he said he knew what play was coming.

“I didn’t necessarily know that the guard would pull, but that’s a scheme they do have,” he said. “We had great penetration on the other side to keep the back from bouncing outside so I could get to him.”

New England Coach Rod Rust said he didn’t regret the call. “It was a good defense against the play.”

The play seemed to inspire the Bills’ defense, which kept the Patriots in check until New England’s next-to-last drive.

The Patriots moved from their 14 to the Buffalo 38. But the drive ended when rookie James Williams intercepted a pass by Wilson in the end zone that was intended for Irving Fryar.

“I had a feeling they were going to try and go toward me because I was a rookie out there,” said Williams, the Bills’ first-round draft choice who was starting for injured Kirby Jackson.

Buffalo got the ball on its 20 and the Patriots let Thomas slice through the line on the next play.

“We were basically just trying to get a first down,” Thomas said. “The offensive line came off the ball well. Usually, that play doesn’t cut back all the way to the right, but the hole was so big I just had to do it.”

Patriot safety Fred Marion said his team was “cutting down on giving up the easy stuff. But he (Thomas) broke right, they made good blocks and we didn’t get over to make the play.”