The Buffalo Bills had already built a 21-17 lead on Sunday at home against the New England Patriots after Nyheim Hines had his second kickoff return touchdown of the game in the third quarter.
But once the Bills got the ball back, there were more fireworks for Buffalo during a game in which the team continued to honor safety Damar Hamlin.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen rolled right after being met with the Pats' pass-rush and pointed receiver John "Smoke" Brown to the end zone for a diving 42-yard touchdown to extend Buffalo's lead to 28-17.
Brown was called up from the practice squad on Saturday in advance of the game.
Brown was the team's leading receiver during the 2019 season (72 receptions, 1,060 yards, six touchdowns), a year that saw the Bills earn their first 10-win season in over two decades. Injuries led to Brown appearing in only eight games during the 2020 campaign and he was released by the team during the following offseason.
"It's good to see Smoke back, it's good to have him back," Allen said of Brown’s initial return. "We love him in this locker room. We've missed him the last year. It's a veteran presence who knows our offense.
"He can still play too. I don't know really what the plan is, it's not up to me. But it's a guy I trust, I've got a lot of familiarity with, a guy that I can rely on so it's good to have him back."
The Bills maintain a lead in the fourth quarter, but the Patriots responded with a long touchdown of their own after Mac Jones found receiver DeVante Parker for a leaping 26-yard score. Buffalo leads 28-23 with 11:37 left in the fourth.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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