Welcome to the big leagues, Drake Maye.
In his first primetime game, the New England Patriots‘ QB1 walked into Highmark Stadium and led a 23-20 upset over the previously unbeaten Buffalo Bills and star QB Josh Allen.
The 2024 No. 3 overall pick, Maye’s game came down to a gutsy final drive that included multiple tough completions into traffic. Rookie kicker Andy Borregales then nailed a 52-yarder with 15 seconds to go, giving Buffalo almost no time at a legitimate final shot.
The win moved New England to 3-2 as the franchise continues its hopeful upward trend in Maye’s sophomore season, while Buffalo dropped to 4-1.
Buffalo was the last unbeaten team left after the Denver Broncos upset the Eagles in Philadelphia earlier in the day, so the 1972 Miami Dolphins still stand alone in the undefeated history books.
Here are takeaways from the Week 5 Sunday Night Football affair on NBC:
Drake Maye has his big moment
Signature wins are always important in the NFL, especially for young quarterbacks looking to build their resume. Maye now has his biggest yet, fittingly coming against the best team in New England’s division and a top-tier Super Bowl contender.
Maye ended the game completing 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards. Despite not throwing a touchdown — or a pick — the 23-year-old always looked composed and didn’t stumble under pressure, especially on the game-winning drive.
Maye will now need to deliver similar consistent performances if he is to truly raise the Patriots and himself into the next tier. This outing showed there are reasons to be optimistic.
Bills lose the turnover battle
The Bills are a Super Bowl contender, but they didn’t play like it in this game. They ended the first half with just three points and never really exhibited enough urgency into their plays.
Buffalo coughed the ball up three times on the night, with just one for New England. Josh Allen both threw a pick and lost a fumble, while Keon Coleman was also responsible for a lost fumble.
Allen and Co. moved the ball much better in the second half when the urgency finally materialized, but it all just came together too late in what otherwise should’ve been a winnable game.
Stefon Diggs enjoys stellar revenge game
Diggs returned to Buffalo where he played a key role alongside Allen in the team’s early contending years. This time, Diggs suited up for the team in progress — and he showed out.
The veteran wideout ended his night with game highs in catches and receiving yards, bringing down 10 catches on 12 targets for 146 yards. He didn’t score a touchdown, but the 31-year-old was a constant threat for Buffalo’s top defense.
Asked after the game if this matchup was personal, Diggs had a simple response: “100%.”
The Bills will visit New England on Sunday, Dec. 14 in Week 15.
Here are five things to know about Drake Maye, quarterback for the New England Patriots.