Patriots...20 Bills...10

Little-known BenJarvus Green-Ellis gave the Patriots a boost in the tight AFC East race. And he helped hand the free-falling Buffalo Bills a costly loss.

The undrafted rookie from Mississippi rushed for a career-high 105 yards and scored a touchdown for the fourth straight game and New England’s defense dominated in the second half for a 20-10 win.

“Wherever we are on the field, I just try to get it to the end zone,” Green-Ellis said.

Matt Cassel, the steadily improving replacement for Tom Brady, completed 23 of 34 passes for 234 yards.

The defense held the Bills to 58 yards in the second half, while the offense piled up 192.

The Patriots had the only two interceptions of the game and outgained the Bills 370 to 168.

The Patriots (6-3) moved a game ahead of the Bills (5-4), who are 1-4 since winning their first four games.

Quoteworthy: “It’s getting down to crunch time now,” Tedy Bruschi -- Patriots linebacker