Efton Chism III’s one-handed touchdown catch gave the New England Patriots a 29-26 road win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, then sparked a postgame exchange between Bills defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.
What changed for the franchise
Chism hauled in a diving touchdown with 1:50 left in the fourth quarter, putting New England ahead for good against its AFC East rival in Buffalo. The Patriots improved to 2-2, while the Bills fell to 3-1.
Gardner-Johnson praised the difficulty of the catch but minimized its significance, referring to Chism as an elevated player and suggesting the rookie would be unlikely to repeat it. He said Buffalo would not turn the remarks into motivational material and maintained that the Bills needed to perform better.
The veteran defensive back also argued Buffalo had not been outplayed despite the loss, saying New England had struggled offensively for much of the afternoon. Gardner-Johnson said the Bills would get another opportunity against the Patriots later in the season and expected New England to maintain the same confidence in the rematch.
Chism entered the league as an undrafted free agent with New England in 2025 and made the Patriots’ initial 53-man roster last season. He has played in 11 regular-season games and has not been a member of the Patriots’ practice squad.
Vrabel responded Monday by noting Gardner-Johnson’s movement between teams, saying the defensive back had enough experience with transactions to understand the situation. Gardner-Johnson has been with five clubs during the past two years.
Vrabel also defended Chism’s standing within the Patriots locker room, pointing to the receiver’s work ethic and preparation. Chism has seven career receptions, with two touchdowns, and Vrabel said he is widely respected by teammates because of the volume of practice reps he handles, including work on the show team.
“Nobody works harder,” Vrabel said. “It is good when a player gets an opportunity and helps the team win.”
The teams are scheduled to meet again in Week 13 at New England.
