5 winners (and 2 losers) as Patriots put September panic to rest in rout of Raiders

We’ll just call this Apology Monday.

Boston sports radio, ESPN, NFL Network, just about everyone on social media — it’s time to start redacting some of those September hot takes.

Drake Maye and the New England Patriots ran the red-hot Las Vegas Raiders out of Gillette Stadium on Sunday with what felt like half of their starters out of the lineup. A number of those players — A.J. Brown, Christian Gonzalez, Mack Hollins, Carlton Davis, Harold Landry III — should be returning soon, but that’s not really the story of New England’s 45-17 rout of the Raiders.

The story is that Maye operated with the precision and confidence that led the Patriots to 14 regular-season wins and a Super Bowl berth last year. All of a sudden, the Patriots (3-2) have back-to-back wins under their belts and will be looking for more during a Week 6 home game against the rival New York Jets.

New England’s young quarterback was the biggest winner for the Patriots, but he definitely wasn’t alone in the team’s most dominant performance of 2026 to date.

Drake Maye led the way as New England delivered its most convincing statement yet

Winner: Drake Maye - QB

The Raiders felt like a sneaky-tough matchup for Maye, as they’ve had a knack for limiting big plays, forcing turnovers, and generating organic pressure without blitzing under Seattle Seahawks disciple Klint Kubiak.

Maye absolutely torched the Raiders in this game. He spread the ball to nine receivers and averaged 11 yards per attempt with a 76% completion rate. He accounted for 400 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns with no turnovers.

Las Vegas did one thing well—it kept Maye from escaping the pocket to his right. Maye often went left instead, including on his touchdown run, and the Raiders just had no answers.

Winner: Elijah Ponder - EDGE 

The Patriots really have something in Ponder. He was a monster in this game, sacking Kirk Cousins twice while adding two tackles for loss and three QB hits. Pro Football Focus charted four total pressures and five run stuffs for him.

Ponder and second-round rookie Gabe Jacas have been quietly dominating in recent weeks, and Ponder, a 2025 undrafted free agent, was at the forefront against the Raiders.

Winner: Rhamondre Stevenson - RB

Stevenson managed a knee injury all week and was pressed into extra action after TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) left the game in the first half. 

Stevenson just did what he does: constantly making something out of nothing and producing in both the run and pass game. He finished with 85 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, and the Patriots will lean heavily on him going forward if Henderson misses more time.

Winner: Eli Raridon - TE

The Patriots needed someone to step up in Hollins’ absence, and Raridon’s size and crafty pass-catching ability as a 6-foot-6 tight end made him an intriguing breakout candidate. 

Just about everyone played well on offense, but Raridon stood out. He caught all of his season-high five targets for 57 yards, including a 31-yard beauty from Maye deep down the left sideline in the second half. He’s averaging 14 yards per reception over his last three games.

Winner: Kindle Vildor - CB

New England’s secondary deserves some flowers for holding the Raiders to 10 points through the first three quarters without Gonzalez or fellow starter Carlton Davis on the outside.

Vildor gets the nod. He was noticeable with three solo tackles and a pass breakup. Per PFF, he only allowed two receptions for 27 yards on five targets. The Patriots needed some unsung players to step up, and Vildor was definitely one of them.

Loser: Veteren O-linemen

Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel both shouted out the offensive line’s protection against Maxx Crosby and company. Admittedly, we’re nitpicking here. The Patriots were awesome across the board in this game.

Ben Brown and Morgan Moses each got two penalties, and Alijah Vera-Tucker was also flagged. The offense was so efficient that New England’s 12 total penalties for 116 yards were hard to notice. 

Second-year pro Jared Wilson and rookie Caleb Lomu, who was pressed into action at left tackle in relief of Will Campbell (knee), were both solid, as was the O-line as a whole. But there’s still plenty to clean up, and it starts with penalties. As Vrabel said afterward, 12 penalties for over 100 yards is ridiculous.

Loser: Marcus Jones - CB

This is almost hard to write. Jones is one of the Patriots’ best and most important all-around players. But in this game, with Gonzalez and Davis out, he was asked to play more on the boundary, and Cousins often attacked the 5-foot-8 defensive back.

According to PFF’s in-game tracking, Jones was targeted six times by Cousins and surrendered six catches for over 100 yards and a touchdown. 

Jones has a 15-yard punt return and will add value more often than not. But he’s best when covering the slot. PFF counted 26 snaps as a true outside corner against the Raiders, and it didn’t go well (43.0 overall coverage grade).

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