New England Patriots wide receiver Jalen Reagor (83) returns a kickoff for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills. Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Patriots' Jalen Reagor returns kickoff for 98-yard TD

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 12/31/23

Earlier this season, the New England Patriots stunned the Buffalo Bills in a shocking upset. After a fast start, could they do it again?

On the game's opening play, New England wide receiver Jalen Reagor — a former first-round pick — returned a kickoff for a 98-yard TD, giving the Patriots a 7-0 lead.

Gone, gone, gone ‼️@jalenreagor | #ForeverNE

: #NEvsBUF on CBS pic.twitter.com/PjWjWa4LA0
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 31, 2023

After a midseason slide, Buffalo (9-6) has won four of its last five games and is back in the playoff hunt. Still, the Bills can't afford to lose another game. Per the New York Times simulator, their playoff chances will fall from 92 percent to 49 percent if they fail to beat the Patriots (4-11).

New England, meanwhile, has nothing to lose. The Patriots have already been eliminated from the postseason, and Tankathon projects that they will have the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, they have improved slightly over the past few weeks, winning two of their last four.

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