The Patriots extended their winning streak to 18 games yesterday with a gutsy 31-17 win in Buffalo against the division rival. In The Boston Globe, **Nick Cafardo** handles the game review, while **Bob Ryan** asserts that the team is tough to handle.

Also in the Globe, **Ron Borges** breaks down two plays that began in similar fashion, but had dramatically different outcomes. "Two plays. Two decisions. The difference between two teams," writes Borges.

**Adam Kilgore** of the Globe writes Corey Dillon, despite another solid performance, is feeling stung by his one mistake. "Dillon rushed for 79 yards on 19 carries and the touchdown. He also caught three passes for 23 yards. But the day was somewhat bittersweet for the running back," writes Kilgore. "After the 31-17 New England victory over Buffalo, Dillon stewed about his one mistake, a fumble that could have been pointed to as the turning point had the Patriots lost."

Kilgore also notes the fourth quarter divergence of Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe that ultimately separated the two teams. "Yesterday, Brady excelled when it mattered most for his team, while Bledsoe wilted under pressure. And Brady's team won," writes Kilgore.

Cafardo also highlights the play of **Stephen Neal**, whose heads-up play on a Bills fumble recovery shows he has been listening closely to coach Bill Belichick.

In The Boston Herald, **Michael Felger** dissects the mistakes that could have cost the Patriots, and points out how the team found a way to win. Felger also has a full notebook, which includes injuries, the play of Neal, and Patriots miscues.

**Kevin Mannix** of the Herald looks at the relatively disastrous play of the Patriots special teams, who gave up some big plays and failed to make any of their own. "There were some positives, but it's hard to remember them right now," writes Mannix. "They were buried under an avalanche of mistakes and misplays by every aspect of the kicking game."

**Michael Gee** of the Herald lauds the performance of Brady in the face of a relentless Bills blitz attack. Gee also writes on the Patriots ability to handle unusual circumstances, of which there were many yesterday. "The Pats can do weird because, believe it or not, they practice it. Irrational moments are part of their game plan," writes Gee. "Belichick may not believe in the occult, but just in case he's wrong, the coach wants his players to know a few spells."

**George Kimball** of the Herald points out that the both teams were penalty-prone yesterday, and that fact, combined with three challenged plays and an injured referee, meant the game was anything but smooth. Kimball also breaks down the play that sealed the Bills fate: a fourth-down on which Tedy Bruschi forced a Bledsoe fumble that was picked up and returned for a touchdown by defensive lineman Richard Seymour.

**Bill Hoppe** of the Herald recounts Dillon's self-disgust after his first fumble since 2002. Hoppe also features the receiving corps, a unit that showed its depth yesterday after Troy Brown and Bethel Johnson joined Deion Branch on the sideline.

In USA Today, **Tom Pedulla** reviews the game, pointing out that "the New England Patriots may be the first team to become part of NFL history without acknowledging it."

In The Providence Journal, **Tom Curran** gives his game review, and highlights the depth of the offense. "With some teams, there would be talk of what they'd do without their No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver. The Pats seem to have multiple 1's," writes Curran.

In his Patriots notebook, Curran mentions the poor play of the special teams, the slew of injuries that occurred in yesterday's physical game, and the NFL's stance that the Patriots have won only 15 in a row because they do not count playoff games.

**Jim Donaldson** of the Journal writes even on a bad day the Pats find ways to win. "If ever there was a game the Patriots could have -- arguably should have -- lost, it was yesterday against the Bills," writes Donaldson.

Donaldson also features the defensive unit, which was able to make some big plays against Bledsoe's offense.

In The Hartford Courant, **Alan Greenberg** points out the game was a tale of two halves, as the Patriots went onto victory thanks to an aggressive second-half defense with an eye for making big plays.

Greenberg also highlights the consistently solid play of Brady, whose poise in the face of Buffalo's attack is a big reason the Patriots are 3-0. " It's also a credit to Brady, who is unsurpassed at turning a would-be sack into a harmless incompletion or into a clutch completion that leaves opponents shaking their heads," Greenberg writes.

**Ian Clark** of The Union Leader breaks down the game, handing out game MVP honors to David Patten, and pointing out the bad news that still lingers despite the win.