New England Patriots running back Damien Harris (37) hangs onto the ball as Buffalo Bills free safety Jordan Poyer, right, tries for the strip on his touchdown run during the first half of Sunday's Buffalo win at Gillette Stadium. (AP photo)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Damien Harris was back, and that’s usually a good thing for the New England Patriots.

But while Harris, who hadn’t played due to a hamstring injury suffered in the win over Buffalo three weeks ago, rushed for his fifth 100-yard game of the season on Sunday, the Patriots couldn’t take full advantage in a 33-21 loss to those same Bills at Gillette Stadium.

“Yeah, he’s a great player,” Patriots center David Andrews said. “We have to a better job of blocking for him. When you get down, obviously it changes the way you do things. You can’t play the game from behind like we have … Dame is a great player and we just have to do a better job for him. Got him going there, he made some great reads, but just a little too late.”

Harris rushed for 103 yards and scored all three Patriot touchdowns in the loss, but that was little solace in the loss.

“I felt great to be able to do that out there, felt great,” Harris said. “But ultimately we didn’t execute. We didn’t do the things we needed to do well enough to have enough positive plays. To move the ball well enough, what way we can come out with a win.”

Harris on the year is closing in on 1,000 yards, with 857 yards on 182 carries, plus his 12 TDs, by far the most on the team rushing or receiving. Hunter Henry, who was quiet on Sunday with one catch for 9 yards, is second on the team in touchdowns with nine.

Since 1970, only Curtis Martin (1995) and Corey Dillon (2004) had more than five 100-yards games for the Patriots, and John Stephens had five in 1988..

ALLEN’S BIG DAY

Bills quarterback Josh Allen accounted for 379 of Buffalo’s 428 yards of net offense, as he rushed for 64 and threw for 314 and three TDs. And he was barely touched in the pocket or when he rolled out.

“Again, our guys stepped up,” Allen said. “We had a lot of key plays today and maybe the game’s different if it goes the other way.”

Allen gave credit to his offensive line, saying “I think it was the Christmas presents I got them. They were pumped up, and they played a little harder for them. Never hurts to treat those big guys. I’m super proud.”

Bills coach Sean McDermott said that Allen showed a determined side during the week.

“I thing his approach during the week was – it gave him a chance to do that today, and that’s where the process comes in,” he said. “Not just Josh but really the entire football team.

“When you do thing right during the week and you get yourself ready to go.”

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

A penalty flag was picked up after Buffalo’s Jerry Hughes made contact with Patriots quarterback Mac Jones after a run out of bounds, knocking Jones down. It was expected it would tack 15 yards onto Jones’ gain.

“What we ruled was we had contact on the sideline,” referee Shawn Smith told pool reporter Mike Reiss of ESPN. “And after discussion, we determined tha it was incidental contact that didn’t rise to a level of a personal fould. There aws no second act by the defender in that situation, so we determined there was no foul, based on that action.”

Smith also was asked about the taunting penalty on Andrews, which prevented more yards from being tacked on to a Jones run after he took a hit after sliding from Buffalo’s Matt Milano.

“We had the situation under control and then the New England player (Andrews) got in the face of the opponent and started yelling,” Smith said. “So we had a taunting foul.”

SUNDAY INACTIVES

Receiver Nelson Agholor headed the Patriots inactive list for Sunday’s game, and also out were QB Jarrett Stidham, safety Joshuah Bledsoe, corners Shaun Wade and Joejuan Williams and tight end Devin Asiasi.

But also hurting the Patriots were the fact running back Rhamondre Stevenson remained on the COVID list along with defensive lineman Deatrich Wise and OL Yasir Durant.

Conversely, the Bills were without wide receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis, plus guard Cody Ford and tight end Quintin Morris, all on the COVID list. Inactives were only three: running back Matt Breida, tight end Tommy Sweeney and defensive tackle Star Lotulelei.

NOTES

The Patriots converted five of sic fourth down attempts to tie for the most fourth down conversions since 200 under Bill Belichick, doing it also on Dec. 16, 2012 vs. San Francisco…

Belichick, who had voice issues Sunday and seemingly a bit during the week, coached in his 800th career NFL game, as an assistant and head coach…

Although not a major factor Sunday, Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne caught two passes for 33 yards to give him a single season personal best of 700 receiving yards. He had 667 lst year with San Francisco…

The Patriots could have set up a playoff clinching game vs. Jacksonville next Sunday had both Pittsburgh and Las Vegas lost yesterday, but the Raiders pulled out a win over Denver. It still may be possible to clinch next week, but the Patriots will need help along with a win.

Next Up: The final regular season home game of the season next Sunday, Jan. 2 at 1 p.m. vs. the Jaguars.

Newsletter