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BUFFALO – It felt eerily similar to Kayshon Boutte’s touchdown grab in last year’s playoffs. Streaking down the right sideline, covered by a defender, Efton Chism III got a step on Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Davison Igbinosun.
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The result? A one-handed, game-winning, 23-yard touchdown from Chism to help the New England Patriots knock off the home Bills 29-26. The catch – one of just two Chism had on the day – helped the Patriots get back to .500.
It was Chism’s second-career touchdown. But this one had a lot more excitement around it compared to his Week 17 grab against the New York Jets a year ago.
“Just trying to make a play,” he said postgame.
Chism wasn’t supposed to be on the field for that play. During practice this week, he was on the sideline when that play call was being run. But after Mack Hollins left the game with a calf injury, it was Chism’s opportunity to answer the call.
“Shoot, when I’m out there and the ball’s in the air, I kind of black out. I’m kind of in that little flow state,” said Chism, who got a game ball after the game. “I saw it in the air and Drake (Maye) gave me an opportunity and you got to come down with those opportunities.”
Chism also had a 19-yard catch where he was flipped into the air with three minutes remaining. That helped set the table for the 24-year-old’s highlight reel catch.
Chism Helped Spark The Comeback Win
The Patriots had an offensive showing that looked a lot more productive than the three previous weeks. They put up a season-high in points on the previously-undefeated Bills, Maye threw three touchdowns and they had guys, like Chism and right guard Ben Brown, step up.
Sunday was just another day of Chism’s coaches and teammates seeing all his hard work pay off.
“Nobody works harder,” Mike Vrabel said. “There are plenty of guys who work hard, but I mean, Chiz is literally in (wide receivers coach) Todd Downing’s office before 6 o’clock every morning, if not 5:30, getting the game plan down to know every position. He’s an extremely hard worker.
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His toughness, his routine, it’s really cool to see guys like that take advantage of their opportunities and obviously stepping up in a critical situation is what this league is about.”
“Snag Of The Year”
“You guys see it every year for two years now in training camp,” Maye said. “He just keeps on doing the right thing. He stays after every day in practice. ‘Hey Drake, you need anything? Hey, I’m here.’ There’s guys, late in the building that I see late at night. It’s Chizz. He loves this game, and you get what you put into it. I think you saw that with Chizz.”
Romeo Doubs, who had two touchdowns of his own, put it pretty plainly.
“That was a snag,” he said. “Snag of the year, man.”
But for Chism, he’s just happy that he was able to impact the game in a positive way.
“I’m just blessed,” Chism said. “I’m just so happy to have all the hard work that we put in as a team and as a group, and for things to go as well as they did.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Efton Chism’s ‘Snag of the Year’ Helps Patriots Grab Important Division Win.
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This story was originally published October 4, 2026 at 2:50 PM.