Patriots Are Passing for Playoff Pretender

Doug Flutie’s two touchdown passes and Drew Bledsoe’s bad game helped give Buffalo a 17-7 victory over New England on Sunday and dealt a serious blow to the Patriots’ playoff hopes.

Flutie passed for touchdowns of 54 yards to Eric Moulds and 31 yards to fullback Sam Gash as the Bills (8-4) strengthened their third-place position in the tough AFC East.

“It gives us good separation from New England and keeps us within striking distance of the AFC East title,” said Flutie, who completed nine of 16 passes for 207 yards with no interceptions.

The Bills defense held the Patriots to 267 yards and kept them scoreless for almost the entire game. Bledsoe went 18 for 34 for 205 yards with one interception and was sacked six times.

New England (6-5) couldn’t capitalize on its own big plays, and Bledsoe couldn’t find his receivers as the Patriots lost their third in a row. New England avoided its first shutout in six years when Bledsoe connected with Terry Glenn for a 45-yard touchdown with 2:41 left in the game.

While the Patriots, after a 4-0 start, are sliding out of playoff contention, the Bills are on course to gain a postseason berth. Buffalo is 4-2 in against AFC East opponents with two division games remaining. The Bills are also 5-1 at home, having allowed only 54 points in those games--holding three teams to no touchdowns.

Steve Christie’s 28-yard field goal with 1:32 left in the first quarter was set up by a pass interference call against Chris Carter on a long Flutie pass for Moulds. That gave the Bills a first-and-goal at the Patriot 8, but two carries by Antowain Smith and a futile Flutie scramble left the Bills at the 10.

“The wind was tricky,” Flutie said. “I tried to put a little extra zing on the ball and one pass went over Eric’s head; but on the pass interference call, I laid the ball out there and Eric had to fight for it.”

Flutie’s touchdown pass to Moulds just before halftime made it 10-0. Patriot cornerback Steve Israel tripped while chasing Moulds, who sped away and made the catch over his shoulder.

“I just fell,” Israel said. “I got tangled up with his legs. That’s the tough thing about this position; one mistake, and it’s six points.”

The touchdown reception by Gash with 10:21 in the third quarter followed a 45-yard completion to rookie tight end Bobby Collins.

Bledsoe, who had eight interceptions in the previous two games, threw for 54 yards with one interception and four sacks in the first half.

The Patriots had their scoring chances, however.

New England punter Lee Johnson took off for a first down on fourth and three in the second quarter, but two sacks of Bledsoe and an interception followed.

Later in the quarter, the Patriots drove to the Bill 18, but Kevin Faulk fumbled and Sam Rogers recovered.