Christie Provides the Suspense in 13-10 Victory : AFC:Buffalo kicker ties score with 14 seconds remaining, then wins it with 32-yard field goal in overtime against New England.

Steve Christie’s 32-yard field goal in overtime Sunday gave the Buffalo Bills a 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots. It was the Bills’ third three-point victory of the season while the Patriots suffered their fifth loss by three points or less.

“Coach (Bill) Parcells always talks about how we have to recognize the key times in a game and make it happen for us,” Patriot safety Harlon Barnett said. “We haven’t found a way to do that yet.”

The Bills overcame a fourth-quarter deficit and two late fumbles to win on Christie’s kick 9:22 into overtime. His 27-yarder with 14 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter had tied the game.

Buffalo (7-1) won its fifth consecutive game, while New England (1-8) lost its fourth in a row.

Jim Kelly started the winning drive with a 46-yard completion to Andre Reed to the New England 19-yard line. Thurman Thomas then ran twice for five yards, and Christie made the winning kick on third down.

“It seems that our offense got better when we were behind 10-0 because we’re better when we play a wide-open game,” Kelly said. “It helps our running game.”

After a scoreless first half, the Patriots took a 10-0 lead on Leonard Russell’s two-yard run in the third quarter and Scott Sisson’s 27-yard field goal with 13:33 remaining in the fourth.

Then Kelly led the Bills on an 80-yard drive ended by a nine-yard touchdown pass to Pete Metzelaars with 7:48 remaining.

On their next possession, the Bills moved from their 45 to a first down at the Patriots’ 27. But Thomas fumbled and Andre Tippett recovered at the 29 with 4:17 remaining in regulation.

The Bills got the ball back with 1:04 remaining at their own 13. It took Kelly just 50 seconds to move 78 yards, setting up Christie’s tying field goal.

New England gave the ball up on downs at the Buffalo 48 on the opening drive of overtime when Russell was held to no gain on consecutive runs with one yard to go for a first down.

Buffalo moved to the Patriots’ 36. Kelly then completed a pass to Metzelaars for an 11-yard gain, but Metzelaars fumbled and Corwin Brown recovered for New England.

The Patriots couldn’t get a first down and Buffalo started at its own 35 after a punt. That’s when Reed, who had just two catches for 10 yards to that point, beat Reyna Thompson down the right sideline to set up Christie’s kick.

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe led the Patriots to 10 second-half points, breaking a 10-quarter touchdown drought. He entered the game with 2:17 remaining in the first half after Scott Secules suffered a separated left shoulder when he was tackled by Cornelius Bennett on a three-yard scramble. There was no word on how long Secules would be sidelined.