The New England Patriots did more than hand the Buffalo Bills their first loss of the season Sunday. They apparently left at least one Buffalo defender unconvinced.
Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson took aim at New England after the Patriots’ 29-26 comeback win at Highmark Stadium, dismissing the decisive touchdown and questioning whether Buffalo had actually been outplayed.
“A practice squad player made a helluva play,” Gardner-Johnson said after the game, according to WROC’s Thad Brown. “They didn’t do s— better than us. We gotta play better.”
“Practice squad player made a helluva play… They didn’t do %$&# better than us. We gotta play better.”
The comment appeared to reference Efton Chism III, whose spectacular one-handed 23-yard touchdown catch from Drake Maye with 1:50 remaining put New England ahead for good.
Gardner-Johnson Dismisses Patriots’ Game-Winning Catch
Gardner-Johnson’s frustration came after the Bills saw a late lead disappear against an AFC East rival that entered Sunday at 1-2. Buffalo had opened the year 3-0 and had yet to lose in its new stadium, while New England arrived after being routed by Jacksonville one week earlier.
Buffalo went ahead 26-21 when Josh Allen found Keon Coleman for a 34-yard touchdown with 4:27 remaining. Maye responded by directing New England back down the field, with Chism making a 19-yard catch before the two-minute warning.
On third down from the Buffalo 23, Maye rolled right and gave Chism a chance in the end zone. The second-year receiver fought through tight coverage and secured the ball one-handed while falling to the turf.
The Patriots then converted the two-point attempt to make it 29-26. Buffalo still had enough time to answer, but Craig Woodson intercepted Allen with 1:05 remaining and New England closed out the victory.
The Bills’ official recap noted that the Patriots moved downfield “without much trouble” on the decisive possession and highlighted Chism’s acrobatic catch as the play that gave New England the lead. It was a costly sequence for a Buffalo defense that had only needed one stop to preserve its late advantage.
Gardner-Johnson viewed it differently. He also suggested the catch was unlikely to be repeated, saying Chism “probably won’t hit him again, respectfully,” per Pats Pulpit.
New England can live with that assessment. The catch still counted, and so did Buffalo’s first loss.
Chism Was on Patriots’ 53-Man Roster
Gardner-Johnson’s “practice squad” label also missed an important detail about Chism’s standing with New England.
The Patriots included Chism among six wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster entering the 2026 season. The team’s current roster also lists him as an active player.
Chism originally joined New England as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and made the opening roster as a rookie. He came into the Buffalo game with only five career receptions, which helps explain why he may have been foreign to an opponent, but his place on the roster was hardly a one-day elevation.
That made the moment even more valuable for the Patriots.
New England was leaving a 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars behind them and aimed to prevent a 1-3 start in Buffalo. The Patriots had averaged 12 points through their first three games, making the 29-point response against the previously unbeaten Bills especially notable.
Maye threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns, the offense produced 405 total yards and the Patriots became the first visiting team to win at Buffalo’s new Highmark Stadium. Chism finished with two catches for 42 yards and the game-winning score.
Gardner-Johnson, an eight-year veteran and Super Bowl champion who signed with Buffalo during the offseason, made clear he still believes the Bills are the superior team.
New England didn’t need to win that argument in the locker room.
It won the one on the scoreboard.
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