Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots updates: Damar Hamlin posts photo from hospital bed

The Buffalo Bills will play six days after teammate Damar Hamlin suffered a life-threatening medical emergency on the field.

Buffalo (12-3) can secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC with a win over division rival New England (8-8) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Highmark Stadium.

Hamlin remains in the ICU at University of Cincinnati Medical Center but there have been amazing reports of his progress since he suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday Night Football.

Final score: Buffalo Bills 35, New England Patriots 23

Buffalo rallied around Damar Hamlin to lock up the No. 2 seed and send the Patriots into the offseason. The Bills will host the No. 7 seed Miami Dolphins in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Nyheim Hines was the unlikely star, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns. Hines took the opening kickoff 96 yards and went 101 yards in the third quarter.

Josh Allen completed 19 of 31 passes for 254 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Stefon Diggs had seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Tre'Davious White, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano each had an interception for the Bills defense.

Mac Jones went 26 of 40 for 243 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. DeVante Parker made six receptions for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

Who will Bills play in the playoffs? Buffalo earns No. 2 seed and will host the Dolphins

Tremaine Edmunds gets Bills' second straight pick on Matt Jones - 2:34 4th quarter

If Matt Milano's interception didn't seal the game, Tremaine Edmunds' diving pick should. Jones threw his third interception of the game on third-and-1 from the Patriots' 28-yard line. The Miami Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 9-6 and will get the No. 7 seed in the AFC if Buffalo wins.

Matt Milano intercepts Mac Jones - 4:52 4th quarter

Matt Milano may have knocked New England out of the playoffs. The Patriots' drive started promising after Mac Jones completed to Tyquan Thornton for 13 yards and Damien Harris ran for 13 yards to the Bills' 13. New England was pushed back on an offensive pass interference call against Hunter Henry. On third-and-19, Jones was picked off in the end zone by Milano, who returned it 41 yards to the Bills' 39.

Patriots recover muffed punt - 8:22 4th quarter

Buffalo looked in control before it turned the ball over on a punt. New England went three-and-out but Taiwan Jones muffed Michael Palardy's punt. It was recovered by New England's Ja'Whaun Bentley at the Bills' 35-yard line.

Josh Allen rips 49-yard touchdown to Stefon Diggs - Bills 35, Patriots 23

Josh Allen uncorked a perfect throw to Stefon Diggs. Allen unleashed a deep ball flat-footed just before he was going to get hit to Diggs on an out-and-up on the left sideline.

New England responds with Mac Jones TD to DeVante Parker - Bills 28, Patriots 23

The Patriots marched 90 yards for the second Mac Jones to DeVante Parker touchdown of the game. New England started with a 14-yard catch by Parker and Damien Harris ran 19 yards up the middle. New England center Dan Andrews was called for holding but the Patriots' drive continued. Rhamondre Stevenson ran for 10 yards, Hunter Henry made a 5-yard catch and Jones completed to Jakobi Meyers for 19 yards on fourth-and-10. Jones finished the drive with a 26-yard TD to Parker, who beat one-on-one coverage and tumbled into the end zone. New England's two-point conversion attempt pass was incomplete.

Josh Allen throws 42-yard TD to John Brown - Bills 28, Patriots 17

The Bills' longest play of the day didn't hold for long. Josh Allen completed over the middle to Khalil Shakir, who weaved his way through the defense for 28 yards. Two plays later, Allen rolled to his right, motioned for John Brown to go deep and hurled a 42-yard touchdown pass to Brown.

More:John Brown scores, gives ball to Bills athletic trainer who gave Damar Hamlin CPR

New England unable to follow Hines TD with points - 4:37 3rd quarter

The Patriots got a 36-yard kickoff return by Marcus Jones, picked up one first down to move into Bills territory and punted. Michael Palardy punted 28 yards to the Bills' 19-yard line.

Nyheim Hines returns second kickoff of game for touchdown - Bills 21, Patriots 17

It's the Nyheim Hines game. Hines took the kickoff 101 yards for his second return touchdown of the game. Hines found a seam, broke a tackle and sprinted up the left sideline, high-stepping into the end zone. Hines is the first player in Bills history − and 11th in NFL history − to have two kickoff return touchdowns in a game. The NFL had only four kickoff returns for touchdowns this year entering the game.

New England gets field goal after turnover - Patriots 17, Bills 14

New England has its first lead. The Patriots began from the Bills' 11-yard line but only mustered a field goal.

Devin Singletary fumble gives ball back to Patriots - 8:34 2nd quarter

Buffalo only had the ball for two plays following the turnover. Devin Singletary was hit by cornerback Jonathan Jones and coughed up the ball. It was recovered by safety Devin McCourty at the Bills' 11.

Mac Jones intercepted by Tre'Davious White - 9:26 3rd quarter

New England had the first possession of the second half. Mac Jones opened with an 11-yard pass to Kendrick Bourne. Tight end Hunter Henry made back-to-back receptions, including a 13-yarder to get near midfield. Four plays later the Patriots went for it on fourth-and-1. Jones hit Henry for 5 yards in a first down. Rhamondre Stevenson plowed ahead for 16 yards to the Bills' 21 but Jones was intercepted on the next play. Tre'Davious White made a diving interception on the left sideline at the Bills' 1-yard line. It's White's first regular season interception since Nov. 14, 2021.

Halftime: Buffalo Bills 14, New England Patriots 14

Buffalo started with a thunderous 96-yard kickoff return by Nyheim Hines but has been outplayed since. Mac Jones has completed 13 of 16 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Josh Allen is 12 of 20 for 96 yards with a touchdown and interception. James Cook has 26 yards on five carries and Devin Singletary has 24 yards rushing on four attempts.

Josh Allen intercepted by Devin McCourty in red zone - :15 2nd quarter

Buffalo takes over with 3:38 left in the half. James Cook took three straight carries 5, 18 and 10 yards before the two-minute warning. Allen converted a third-and-short with a sneak and then scrambled for 6 yards with 45 seconds remaining. Allen scrambled up the middle for 7 more yards and the bills called a timeout with 38 seconds left. Allen threw incomplete for Gabe Davis in the end zone on first down. Allen fired a bullet in the back of the end zone for Diggs on second down but Diggs was pushed out of bounds before coming down. Allen was picked off on third down. Matthew Judon hit Allen as he threw and it was intercepted by safety Devin McCourty at the Patriots' 3. McCourty returned it 30 yards.

Patriots tie game on Mac Jones TD to DeVante Parker - Bills 14, Patriots 14

Rhamondre Stevenson ripped off an 18-yard run on New England's second play of the drive. Stevenson made a 9-yard catch on the next play and then Mac Jones completed deep over the middle for Kendrick Bourne to the Bills' 24-yard line. Bourne hauled in a third-and-3 pass for 10 yards to the Bills' 7. Stevenson took a shovel pass 5 yards and Mac Jones tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to a wide open DeVatnte Parker.

Josh Allen sacked for second time to force punt - 9:16 2nd quarter

Buffalo began with a 2-yard pass to James Cook followed with a 5-yard run by Cook. Allen slid in the pocket on third down and completed to Isaiah McKenzie for 6-yards and a first down. Allen was sacked by defensive tackle on the ensuing third down for a 4-yard loss to force a Bills punt. Marcus Jones returned the punt 12 yards to the Patriots' 26-yard line.

Patriots go three-and-out - 12:44 2nd quarter

New England had 3 total yards on its third possession. Damien Harris was swallowed by DaQuan Jones and Shaq Lawson for a 6-yard loss. Mac Jones got the yards back with a 9-yard completion to DeVante Parker but he was hounded by a blitzing Tremaine Edmunds on third down and threw the ball away. Michael Palardy punted 44 yards and Nyheim Hines returned it 6 yards to the Bills' 34.

Josh Allen throws touchdown to Dawson Knox - Bills 14, Patriots 7

Devin Singletary opened the Bills' possession with a 6-yard run, Josh Allen scrambled for 2 and Allen completed to Stefon Diggs for 16 yards to get near midfield. Singletary gained a first down with a short run and Allen threw a beautiful quick back-shoulder throw to Diggs for 16 yards. Allen converted another third down to set up first-and-goal. He backpedaled before rifling a completion to Gabe Davis for 18 yards to the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Allen waited in the pocket and hit Dawson Knox streaking across the middle of the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown. It was a 75-yard drive in 13 plays that covered 6 minutes, 30 seconds.

Jakobi Meyers taps toe for magnificent TD catch - Bills 7, Patriots 7

New England put together a nine-play, 74-yard drive, capped by an incredible 2-yard touchdown catch by Jacobi Meyers. Mac Jones completed 6 of 6 passes on the drive. Jones hit Meyers for 20 yards and DeVante Parker for 17 yards on back-to-back plays and found Parker again for 11 yards to get to the Bills' 6-yard line.

Bills punt after Josh Allen is sacked - 10:29 1st quarter

Josh Allen connected with Stefon Diggs on back-to-back short passes for a first down. Three players later Allen escaped pressure but was eventually taken down by defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. for a 13-yard loss.

Bills force three-and-out with sack on Mac Jones - 13:09 1st quarter

New England went backward on its first possession. Mac Jones threw incomplete on first down, Damien Harris ran for 2 yards and then Jones was engulfed by Greg Rousseau for a 9-yard sack. Michael Palardy punted 49 yards to the Bills' 32-yard line.

Nyheim Hines returns opening kickoff for touchdown Bills 7, Patriots 0

Buffalo got off to a storybook start. New England won the toss, elected to kickoff and Nyheim Hines electrified the entire stadium. Hines took the kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown.

It's the Bills' first game-opening kickoff return for a touchdown in 18 years.

Damar Hamlin tweets watching game from hospital

Damar Hamlin is ready for kickoff. Hamlin posted a photo of himself making a heart gesture with his hands from his hospital bed.

Bills take the field with Damar Hamlin flags

Buffalo ran onto the field with several Damar Hamlin flags to thunderous applause at Highmark Stadium.

"We want thousands of people to tell you they love you. You're about to see it. And we want you to feel like you're right here inside this stadium with us," CBS play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz said.

Buffalo Bills organization pays tribute to Damar Hamlin

More:Tributes to Damar Hamlin are everywhere at Highmark Stadium

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills vs. Patriots: Score, live updates, Damar Hamlin tribute