Blizzards Don’t Work Well in Maye

The Patriots marched into a blizzard-themed Highmark Stadium on Sunday night to face their division rivals, the Buffalo Bills. Behind a clutch 52-yard game-winning field goal from rookie Andy Borregales, New England pulled off a stunning 23–20 upset. The win not only reignited hope among Patriots fans but also drew a surge of national attention. It’s been a long time since New England has been in a spotlight this bright and Pats fan should be all for it.

While there are plenty of takeaways from this game, there are three main ones I want to highlight.

Drake Maye. Enough Said.

Drake Maye has officially arrived. And he’s not leaving the spotlight anytime soon. Maye showed flashes of promise last season, but the consistency wasn’t there to confidently call him New England’s next franchise quarterback. Sunday night, he proved not just to Patriots fans but to the entire football world that he’s special.

Maye has been outstanding this season, showing major strides in accuracy, processing, and decision-making. Still, questions lingered about whether he could deliver in the clutch against elite teams. He silenced those doubts with his performance against Buffalo.

Maye went 22-of-30 for 273 yards with no turnovers. The numbers were impressive, but it was his situational poise and playmaking that truly stood out. Two of his best throws came while rolling to his right, both to wide receiver Stefon Diggs. One was a 32-yard strike to the Buffalo 4-yard line; the other, a remarkable 12-yard completion to Diggs while being dragged to the ground on the game-winning drive.

With that performance, the former Tar Heel extended his streak of games with both a 75%+ completion percentage and two passing touchdowns to four (tying 2007 Tom Brady for the NFL record). He also became the youngest quarterback ever to accomplish the feat. The young gunslinger looks poised to keep it rolling in the coming weeks against a stretch of subpar defenses.

Finally, a True WR1

It’s been a long time coming, but Patriots fans might finally be able to say this team has a true WR1. In a homecoming revenge game against the Bills, Stefon Diggs went off for ten receptions and 146 yards. This performance was just a week after posting six catches for 101 yards against the Panthers. He’s the first Patriots receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019 to record back-to-back 100-yard games.

There were plenty of questions surrounding the Diggs signing in the offseason. The 31-year-old wideout was coming off a torn ACL suffered last October, and while his résumé speaks for itself, there was understandable concern about whether he’d be healthy enough to be Drake Maye’s go-to target this season. So far, he’s blown past every expectation. Diggs and Maye have developed instant chemistry, and the former Terp has given the rookie quarterback a reliable safety valve.

Rhamondre’s Fumble Troubles

It’s chronic at this point. Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson led the NFL with seven fumbles last season, and through just five games this year, he’s already up to three. That’s simply unacceptable, and it’s starting to feel like there’s no solution in sight.

The easy answer would be to bench, trade, or even cut Stevenson. The problem? When he’s not fumbling, he’s one of the Patriots’ most dynamic offensive weapons. He’s contributed as both a runner and a pass catcher all season long. And now, with the news that fellow running back Antonio Gibson will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, reducing Stevenson’s role isn’t really an option, the personnel just isn’t there.

Vrabel and the coaching staff need to find an answer, and fast.

Looking Ahead

The Patriots’ next three games come against much weaker opponents than the Bills: the Saints, Titans, and Browns. If New England continues to play the way it did on Sunday night, there’s a real chance this team could go on a five-game win streak. These next three weeks could define the season, and the Patriots have a golden opportunity to do something special.