Laurence Maroney was back to his wide-smiling, silly-joke-telling self after the game, the first time he's been in pads for New England since Week 4 last season in San Francisco.

Maroney took the opening kickoff of the game 52 yards, putting New England in Buffalo territory for their first possession of the night, and in the first half averaged over seven yards per carry on five attempts. That average dipped in the second half, but he finished the night with 10 carries for 32 yards and two catches for 9 yards.

"I played good; I felt like I played good," he said. "It is definitely a great feeling; I missed more than half the season (with a broken bone in his shoulder). I was like a kid in a candy store today. It felt like forever since I've been out there."

Maroney talked about the bet that he and former college teammate and close friend Marion Barber have. He and Barber, now with Dallas, have a standing bet for a steak dinner for each week's game; the winner is the one with more yards and/or touchdowns.

Barber won this week -- he had 79 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys' win on Sunday -- and when Maroney looked at his phone there was a text from his friend declaring victory, but Maroney laughingly vowed that he will end up with more steak dinners by the season's end.