The New England Patriots just pulled off a stunner, beating their division rival Buffalo Bills 29-26 in Week 4. Not only did they snap the Bills’ perfect 3-0 record, but they did it with more yards, more first downs, and a higher expected points per play. What’s wild is, if you ask Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the better team still managed to lose. Seriously, he thinks his team, the one with fewer points, was actually the superior squad on Sunday. Wild stuff, right?
“The Better Team Lost Today,” Says Bills Safety After Upset
You’d think after a tight 29-26 loss, especially when you’re coming in undefeated and the other team just got walloped 35-6 by the Jaguars, there might be some humility. Not from Gardner-Johnson. Straight up, he told reporters in the locker room, “Everybody knows who is the better team. ‘Oh, you see the score.’ The better team lost today.” He even went so far as to claim the Patriots “wanted to give us the game” and “had no confidence that’s why they struggled all game.” Talk about some serious denial! This wasn’t just any game either. This was the first time a road team has ever won at the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium. The Patriots, mind you, rolled into that stadium missing two of their best defensive players, Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore, plus they had third-stringer Ben Brown starting at right guard. And still, they walked out with the win.
A “Practice Squad Player” Delivers the Dagger and Ignites a Firestorm
If Gardner-Johnson’s take on the score wasn’t spicy enough, his comments on the game-winning touchdown are truly something else. The guy who hauled in that game-winning catch for New England? Backup wide receiver Efton Chism. Chism has been on the Patriots’ 53-man roster since his rookie season in 2025, but Gardner-Johnson apparently wasn’t impressed, calling him an “elevated guy” and a “practice squad player.” He then doubled down, saying, “Probably won’t hit him again, respectfully,” and “He threw it again, he probably won’t make it again.” The Bills safety even suggested the Patriots quarterback lacked confidence, saying he “would have hit [Romeo] Doubs or somebody” if he believed in his best players. This is where it gets really rich: Gardner-Johnson then tried to argue the Patriots “didn’t do s,t better than us,” and that “They barely scored. They struggled all game.” Except, the Patriots put up 29 points and gained a whopping 405 yards on his defense! Before this game, New England was averaging a measly 12 points per game. So, 29 points and 405 yards? That’s not struggling, that’s a statement game, especially for a team coming off a huge loss.
What This Means for These Early Season Squads
This Week 4 clash means a lot for both teams’ early season narratives. The Bills, previously perfect, now have to contend with a bitter taste and some serious locker room talk after getting knocked off their perch at home. For the Patriots, this wasn’t just a win; it was a gut-check victory on the road against a strong division foe, proving they can absolutely battle despite key injuries and early season struggles. They just shocked a lot of people, and it’s going to be fascinating to see how they build on this momentum, or if the Bills can shake off such a defiant loss.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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