FOXBORO, Mass., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Antowain Smith ran for a one-yard score in the third quarter and a 42-yard touchdown with 1:52 left in the game Sunday to carry the New England Patriots past the Buffalo Bills, 21-11.
Smith totaled 100 yards on 20 carries, one week after picking up 117 yards against Atlanta. He has 574 rushing yards and six touchdowns this season after being released by Buffalo in May.
Smith became the first Patriots running back to rush for two touchdowns in a game since Terry Allen on Oct. 24, 1999 against Denver.
"I feel good," Smith said. "It was an ugly game but the main thing is we got the win. To get 100 yards and two touchdowns is icing on the cake. I stayed away from all the hype and interviews this week. When you try to do too much, that is when you get into trouble."
It was the fifth win in the last seven games for the Patriots (5-4) since Tom Brady replaced injured starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Brady completed 15 of 21 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown and threw one interception.
Last year, these are the types of games we would have lost," Brady said. "It's always good to get a 'W,' that is what I'm concerned about."
Buffalo (1-7) scored with 2:43 left in the game when backup Alex Van Pelt threw a 17-yard pass to Peerless Price and then threw to Eric Moulds for the two-point conversion.
Van Pelt replaced Rob Johnson, who was taken out when safety Terrell Buckley sacked him on a third-down play.
"It is a (right) shoulder injury and will be re-evaluated when we get home," Bills coach Greg Williams said.
Buffalo was just two for 12 on third conversions.
"Our protection was good," Williams said. "We just have to make plays on third down."
Brady helped New England open the scoring with 3:09 left in the first quarter when he hit running back Kevin Faulk with a six-yard pass in the end zone capping a six-play, 35-yard drive.
Buffalo came within 7-3 just over three minutes into the second when Jake Arians booted a 24-yard field goal.
Arians tried to bring the Bills within one later in the quarter, but he missed wide right on a 49-yard attempt.
Smith scored his first touchdown of the game with 7:27 left in the third quarter, completing a five-play, 40-yard drive that was aided by a pass-interference penalty on Bills' linebacker Kenyatta Wright on third and two at the Buffalo 34.
Neither team could get a scoring opportunity in the fourth quarter until Price's score that was set up two plays earlier when linebacker Jay Foreman recovered a fumble by Brady at the Patriots' 17.
New England recovered the ensuing onside kick at Buffalo's 45 and Smith scored two plays later to cap the scoring.
"The defense was trying to get a strip of the ball," Williams said. "That was the cause for the touchdown run."
Bills fullback Larry Centers became the second player at his position, joining Ronnie Harmon, to eclipse 6,000 yards receiving when he caught a four-yard pass from Johnson with just over 11:50 left in the third.
It was the Bills' final visit to Foxboro Stadium, where they won 14 of 31 games played since 1971. The Patriots will move into a new stadium in 2002.
