Usually at the end of a 21-point win there aren't a lot of turning points to look back on. The Patriots 37-16 Christmas Eve win over Buffalo was not one such occasion.
Despite the final score it was actually a very competitive game all the way into the fourth quarter. In fact, Buffalo could have been even closer or perhaps even in the lead had the Bills gotten a break or two along the way, most notably on Kelvin Benjamin's overturned touchdown catch at the end of the first half.
But despite the lack of fortune, Buffalo was still very much alive, trailing by just a touchdown at 23-16 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game. The Bills were on the move thanks to a 35-yard catch-and-run by Benjamin that put them in Patriots territory to start the final quarter.
That's when the game turned in the Patriots favor for good.
Three LeSean McCoy runs set up a fourth-and-one from the Patriots 32 at the clock ticked toward the 13-minute mark. McCoy had enjoyed a productive afternoon to that point, piling up 73 yards on 16 carries, and another run seemed to be in the offing.
But Bills first-year coach Sean McDermott felt differently. Instead of trying to keep the drive alive, McDermott sent out Stephen Hauschka for a 50-yard field goal attempt toward the lighthouse end of the stadium, which is notoriously more difficult for kickers to navigate.
The result was predictable: the kick sailed short and to the right, the Patriots offense took advantage of a Bills defense that had the life taken out of it and New England cruised to victory while McDermott provided the Snickers satisfying moment of the game.
