Drake Maye Kept Patriots Game Winning Drive Alive With Ridiculous Pass

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 4:23 AM

drake maye kept patriots game winning drive alive with ridiculous pass

The 2-2 Patriots stunned the 4-0 Bills in a big-time primetime win on Sunday night in large part because of New England quarterback Drake Maye's clearly-budding connection with veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs. For Diggs, who didn't have a touchdown but notched 146 receiving yards, the win was especially sweet, seeing as he was traded from the Bills in the 2024 offseason. And for Maye, who was 22-30 with 273 passing yards, the win was somewhat of a statement—a chance to showcase his talent when up against one of, if not the best, quarterbacks in the... Perhaps the best example of the Maye and Diggs connection on Sunday came toward the end of the game, when the Pats were driving down the field with roughly two minutes left on the... Maye was under pressure as soon as the ball was snapped, but, despite the defender literally hanging off of him, still managed to fire off a pass to Diggs, who somehow caught it for... .@DrakeMaye2 WHAT.

A. PLAY.📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/BeMtrCb3Y2 The Pats would continue their march down the field for a go-ahead field goal, bringing the score to 23-20. And though the Bills got the ball back, they didn't have enough time to make anything happen. So with that, New England dethroned the last undefeated team standing. The Patriots extended their winning streak to eight games in a 27-14 victory over the Jets on Thursday night, a workmanlike performance for New England on a short week.

After facing three top-15 defenses in DVOA in his previous three games, QB Drake Maye got a slight reprieve this week against a Jets defense that entered the week 28th in DVOA. New York was struggling defensively already before the trade deadline and then dealt top CB Sauce Gardner and star DT Quinnen Williams at the deadline. Although the level of competition must be noted, Maye was still superb, even while seeing a new blueprint that went against the Jets typical coverage tendencies. Based on my film charting, Maye had his best day since an outstanding performance vs. the Saints in Week 6, which makes sense since he faced the Browns, Falcons, and Bucs defenses over that span. With 11 plus plays to only 4.5 minuses, Maye's +6.5 net trails only his near-perfect outings against the Saints (+9) and Dolphins (+9) earlier this season.

If my eye test doesn't do it for you, Maye's +0.30 expected points added per drop-back was his highest mark since the game in Tennessee, and his fifth-highest of the season – this was... The most improved area of #Patriots QB Drake Maye’s game is his pocket movement. More under control with better ball security (two hands on the ball) to rip through, relocate & keep his eyes downfield. Seeing the drills from practice on the game film.pic.twitter.com/Bsgnecjsvw Maye's poise to extend plays with controlled pocket movement stood out on film, a clear area of improvement from his rookie season to his year-two leap. Instead of creating his own pressure by drifting in the pocket, Maye is now relocating to stay alive in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield and keeping two hands on the football for...

Effective pocket maneuvering allows Maye to remain a thrower for longer, which adds all sorts of yards to the Patriots offense on a weekly basis. Breaking down Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in Week 10 against the Buccaneers. A week after playing an aggressive Atlanta Falcons defense, things were not about to get any easier for Drake Maye down in Tampa against an aggressive, Todd Bowles-led defense. While Bowles did not dial up his usual blitz rates, Tampa Bay still got pressure on 44.4% of Maye’s drop backs Sunday. But, Maye, who entered the week second in sacks taken and has shown tendencies of taking off running in past games, stood tall in the pocket to find success. In total, Maye fired four completions for 167 yards and a touchdown while under pressure, highlighting a day that earned him more “MVP!” chants from a large Patriot fan contingent down in Tampa.

While it wasn’t all perfect — including a late interception in the end zone after passing up an open receiver — the performance was enough to earn his Patriots a 28-23 victory — their... Here’s how he got those results on Sunday. Drake Maye runs the ball in the fourth quarter as the Saints' Nathan Shepherd tries to tackle him. Stacy Revere / Getty Images NEW ORLEANS — Remember when the New England Patriots shocked Football America with their 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills? As Patriots fans might say, borrowing from the late, great comedian Chris Farley: Yeah, that was awesome.

But what the Patriots needed to do in their next game — as in Sunday afternoon against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome — was see to it that their big victory in... Well, never mind about all that. The Pats registered a 25-19 victory over the Saints, and they did so on a day when they made a ton of mistakes, including 11 penalties for 65 yards. During one stretch on their first drive of the fourth quarter, they went from third-and-7 to third-and-28 as game officials were hustling to pick up the three penalty flags they had tossed. But wait! This also happened to be a day when Drake Maye further cemented his status as one of the game’s best young quarterbacks.

In a thrilling primetime matchup, the New England Patriots defeated the previously undefeated Buffalo Bills 23-20, largely due to the impressive performance of quarterback Drake Maye and his connection with wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Despite not scoring a touchdown, Diggs recorded 146 receiving yards, making the victory particularly meaningful after his offseason trade from the Bills. Maye showcased his talent by completing 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards, culminating in a crucial play where, under severe pressure, he connected with Diggs for a pivotal first down that kept the... The Patriots ultimately secured the win with a go-ahead field goal, ending the Bills' perfect season. Fans celebrated Maye's performance, and the duo's chemistry hints at a promising future as the Patriots prepare for their next game against the Saints. Drake Maye's impactful performance as the Patriots' quarterback included completing 22 passes out of 30 attempts for a total of 273 yards, demonstrating his potential in a high-pressure situation against a top-tier opponent.

Stefon Diggs, despite not scoring a touchdown, contributed significantly to the game with 146 receiving yards, making the win particularly satisfying given his trade from the Bills earlier in the offseason. A standout moment in the game occurred late in the fourth quarter when Maye, under intense defensive pressure, delivered a remarkable pass to Diggs for a first down, crucial for maintaining the Patriots' drive... The Patriots' victory not only handed the Bills their first loss of the season but also showcased the developing chemistry between Maye and Diggs, hinting at a strong offensive partnership moving forward. FOXBOROUGH — Drake Maye put on quite the show during the New England Patriots' 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills in primetime. But there was one play in particular that had everyone talking. On the Patriots' final drive of the game, Maye made an incredible play.

As he was being pulled down by a Bills defender, Maye saw Stefon Diggs in the distance and threw the ball to the receiver as he was falling over. Diggs made the catch and ultimately turned what could have been a sack into a first down. Even Mike Vrabel couldn't believe what he was seeing in that moment. "'Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.' It was an 8-yard loss to a 12-yard gain," Vrabel told reporters on Monday morning. "He's continuing to grow and gain confidence, and show us, show everybody, show his team and himself the ability to operate in the pocket, ability to operate in scheduled, move the pocket plays and... So, putting the ball in good locations, not throwing behind guys, going on the move and putting the ball in harm's way."

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook. Phil Perry, Tom E. Curran and Ted Johnson share instant reaction to the Patriots’ gutsy 23-20 win over the Bills The New England Patriots walked into Highmark Stadium as heavy underdogs against the undefeated Buffalo Bills, but emerged with a stunning 23-20 upset win on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. This game had it all, from a low-scoring, fumble-filled first half to Drake Maye and Josh Allen trading touchdown drives in a high-scoring second half. But the Patriots got the last laugh.

After Matt Prater’s game-tying field goal with 2:17 remaining, Drake Maye led New England's offense 37 yards in seven plays to set up Andy Borregales' 52-yard, go-ahead field goal with 15 seconds remaining. Check out our live blog below for a full game recap with postgame analysis and more: The New England Patriots extended their NFL-best winning streak to eight games with a 27-14 win over the New York Jets on "Thursday Night Football." The Patriots used the formula that has often worked for them throughout the 2025 NFL season to beat the Jets. Their defense put together a strong effort, limiting Justin Fields and Co. to two touchdown drives, while Drake Maye's efficiency through the air allowed the Patriots offense to outgain the Jets 336-245 during the game.

It wasn't just Maye (25 of 34 passing, 281 yards and one touchdown) who played well for the Patriots. Running back TreVeyon Henderson also put together a productive game. The second-round rookie handled a career-high 24 touches and scored all three of the Patriots' touchdowns, two on the ground and one through the air. Henderson wasn't particularly efficient between the tackles. He averaged just 3.3 yards per carry and didn't log a carry longer than 9 yards. However, Henderson showed good power in the red zone, pushing the pile to score his first touchdown of the day, and held up well in the passing game, catching all five of his targets...

The Patriots (9-2) now stand alone atop the AFC standings, having briefly broken the three-way tie they were in with the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts entering Week 11. That stands as a testament to the quick turnaround Mike Vrabel has led within the organization after several years of mediocrity under Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye answered any lingering questions from an uneven Week 1 performance with his most impressive game as a pro, dive-bombing a beleaguered Miami defense in a 33-27 victory. Maye went 19-of-23 passing for 230 yards and two touchdowns for a 137.3 passer rating, and added another 31 rushing yards and a rushing score. Maye set or tied career highs in completion percentage (82.6), passing yards per attempt (10.0), passer rating and total TDs. Sunday marked Maye's first passer rating above 110.

After the game, teammates glowed about Maye's play. "You've got a guy, and he's looking and calling the plays. You're looking at him in his eyes and he's speaking with confidence and enthusiasm," Morgan Moses said, via Mass Live. "You know plays are going to work. That's who he is. He's a leader.

He's our quarterback, man. He played a hell of a game." While Maye took three sacks, his deft pocket movement created several big plays and his ability to escape kept drives alive.

Drake Maye Kept Patriots Game Winning Drive Alive With Ridiculous Pass

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Effective Pocket Maneuvering Allows Maye To Remain A Thrower For