“They’re a good coverage team, and they made some good plays in the passing game,’’ said Brady, who went 30 of 45 for 386 yards and four scores. “They took advantage of some opportunities that they got. We fought to the end, but it just wasn’t enough.’’
Welker had 16 catches for a franchise-record 217 yards and two scores, but focused more on his team’s inability to hang onto the football than his own production.
“Pretty much it detracts everything,’’ he said. “We lost the game. What should be a fun day of breaking records and doing all those things, it’s totally the opposite.’’
After watching his team squander a 21-point first-half lead, Brady was poised for yet another fourth-quarter comeback. Jackson appeared to score on a 39-yard crossing route over the middle that would have given the Bills the lead with 1:43 left.
Officials initially ruled Jackson got into the end zone before overturning the call on video review.
That wound up an advantage to the Bills, who ran down the clock by kneeling. The Patriots ran out of timeouts — and composure. An unsportmanlike conduct penalty against Vince Wilfork gave Buffalo another set of downs at the 1.
“They got a good break,’’ said Brady, who finished with four interceptions all last season. “I wish (Jackson) would have went into the end zone, that would have given us a chance to get the ball back. But he didn’t … the refs changed the call, and they had an opportunity to run the clock out and kick a field goal. Smart football.’’
Rian Lindell followed with a 28-yard field goal as time expired to cap the stunning comeback. The win sparked a wild celebration in which stadium officials guarded the goal posts to ensure fans didn’t bring them down.
As Lindell’s kick sailed through the uprights, holder Brian Moorman jumped on Lindell’s shoulders, and receiver David Nelson went running down the other end of the field pumping his fist.
