The Patriots Might Have Just Found Their Quarterback—And It's Time Everyone Noticed
For anyone still wondering if Sunday night’s thrilling win over Buffalo was the moment second-year quarterback Drake Maye officially arrived on the NFL scene—yes, you’re right. Welcome to the party.
We’ve been hinting at it for weeks. After last week’s dominant takedown of Carolina, where Maye posted a jaw-dropping 93.3 QBR, it was clear New England’s young signal-caller was taking the highly coveted "year-two leap" before our eyes. His rookie season gave us flashes of a future franchise leader, but the offense wasn’t quite ready to maximize his talent, and he battled the typical newcomer challenge of balancing aggressive playmaking with ball security.
Now? Maye is climbing into the NFL’s upper ranks with alarming speed. Heading into Week 5, he was the league’s third-most productive QB in total Expected Points Added (+33.9) while making near-flawless "within the offense" throws, improvising when needed, cutting down risky plays, and showing poise both in and out of the pocket. His +0.29 EPA per drop-back ranked sixth nationally, and his turnover-worthy play rate of just 2.0% placed him ninth among the 33 qualified passers.
And then came Buffalo. The primetime stage brought something new to Maye’s growing resume—his first career game-winning drive against a playoff-caliber team. He delivered 11 high-impact plays, seven of which came in the final half, embodying the "put the team on my shoulders" mentality that elite QBs evolve into.
The difference Sunday? Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels didn’t just scheme receivers open; Maye transcended the scheme itself. He logged four career-high "big-time throws," including a desperate, being-dragged-down strike to Stefon Diggs for 12 yards and a laser into the cover-two hole to Kayshon Boutte for 19 yards that set up the winning field goal. Against the undefeated Bills, Maye had to win via traditional drop-back passing—and he did it convincingly.
At 3-2, New England isn’t printing Super Bowl tickets yet. But for the national audience catching him live for the first time, this performance was a statement: This was no fluke, no one-off. For those of us who have been watching closely? We saw it coming. The Patriots have their guy.
Containing Josh Allen and Buffalo’s Run Game
While much of the attention naturally gravitated to Maye, the Patriots’ defense arguably played an equally pivotal role. Most teams try "bend-don’t-break" tactics against Buffalo to avoid Allen’s deep strikes. It means leaning on two-high safety shells (Bills saw them over 52% of the time before this game) and heavy zone coverage that limits air yards but allows short-passing efficiency and rushing dominance.
New England, however, punched back. Stacking the box and trusting their star corner trio—Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Marcus Jones—to hold up in man coverage, the Pats forced Buffalo receivers to win contested matchups rather than exploit soft zones. Result? Buffalo hit season lows in rushing success rate (33.3%) and EPA per non-scramble rush (-0.38), with the Pats using aggressive base-over fronts and matching the Bills’ heavy personnel nearly 70% of the time.
The defensive clips tell the story: penetration from Harold Landry, Jack Gibbens, and Khyiris Tonga disrupted interior run gaps; Spillane blew up a fullback lead block; Landry refused motion bait to shut down a staple trap run. Even Allen’s desperation flick to Khalil Shakir in the red zone was quickly swarmed for a field-goal stop.
In man coverage, Marcus Jones put on a clinic—breaking up jump balls despite height disadvantages and snaring a red-zone interception by sitting on a perfectly anticipated in-breaker. Gonzalez allowed only one catch the entire night, plastering Shakir in tight scramble coverage to force incomplete passes at crucial moments.
By the end, Allen was holding the ball longer, taking deeper shots and being driven from the pocket into the sidelines, playing right into the Pats’ game plan.
Offensive & Defensive Film Nuggets
Offense: Maye still had six "minus" plays—a couple of escaped clean pockets contributing to sacks—but given Buffalo’s second-half blitz surge and over 41% pressure rate, it’s understandable. Stefon Diggs, meanwhile, thrived both in-structure and off-script, with McDaniels moving him around to create matchup nightmares. Will Campbell dominated at LT except for two reps, and Kayshon Boutte turned every target into a clutch gain on the final drive despite two penalties.
Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper each delivered key chunk plays and run blocks, while Rhamondre Stevenson’s fumble fit the frustrating pattern of second defenders punching the ball out. The loss of RB Antonio Gibson to an ACL tear will force the Pats to tap the market for both his offensive and return duties.
Defense: Coordinator Zak Kuhr kept Allen off balance with smart mixes of man and zone, timely blitzes, and disguise. Christian Barmore was borderline unblockable with five pressures, Milton Williams added dominant interior havoc, and Spillane anchored run defense with six tackles. Tonga's stout nose tackle play kept Buffalo backs rerouting mid-play.
The corners stood tall—Jones with two huge ball plays, Gonzalez locking down deep threats, and Davis making key stops despite one TD allowed. Even backups made noise; though DTs Farmer and Durden committed costly fouls, their run defense passes the eye test.
TE Dalton Kincaid was the Bills' biggest weapon with 108 yards, again exposing New England’s vulnerability against pass-catching tight ends—something they must address quickly.
And here’s the controversial twist: If this defense can replicate Sunday’s disciplined aggression, and if Maye continues to elevate not just himself but the offensive scheme, then the Patriots aren’t just "finding their QB" — they may suddenly find themselves in playoff conversations that few dared to have a month ago.
Question for you: Was Sunday night proof New England can reclaim AFC relevance, or was it just one classic "Any Given Sunday" moment? Are you all-in on the Drake Maye future, or do you need to see him do it again before you believe the hype?
