The Patriots have been one of the league's biggest surprises this season. The play of Drake Maye at quarterback and the acquisitions made by Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel are the big reasons why.
Ryan McLaughlin
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The Patriots' path to winning the AFC East looked bleak at the beginning of the season, but it's starting to become more clear during the team's current winning streak.
It's not likely the Patriots will swing any home-run trades prior to Tuesday's deadline, but an upgrade to the running back room appears to be among the team's biggest needs.
Hot rumors throughout the NFL have the Patriots perhaps trading for former wide receiver Jakobi Myers, but it may not be worth it given the chemistry Drake Maye and the current receivers have built.
Drake Maye just continues to prove why people are believing he's the top quarterback in his 2024 draft class. Dissecting a top defense in the Cleveland Browns certainly helps those claims even more.
After struggling to push the ball down the field the last few years, the Patriots have scored more than 30 points in four of their last five games - all wins. That trend should continue if the Patriots stay consistent offensively.
The one concern about the Patriots during their win streak has been slow starts on defense, and that trend continued against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Patriots need to correct that soon.
Perhaps it'll be Drake Maye's performance against one of the league's best defenses that will start to alert national pundits that he's a viable MVP candidate.
Julian Edelman remains high on the Patriots winning the AFC East, and the team's current four-game winning streak and the Bills' struggles on defense could prove Edelman to be right.
It's been a while since we've labeled any Patriots' quarterback as an MVP candidate. But with the regular season approaching its halfway mark, Drake Maye is that guy.
Jayden Daniels may be billed as the best quarterback in the Class of 2024, but Drake Maye is gaining ground, and fast. Don't be surprised if Maye passes Daniels by the end of this season.