The 2025 New England Patriots are officially ahead of schedule entering Week 6 of the regular season. After their galvanizing road win over reigning league MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, it’s become clear what’s propelling a young team that’s still very much in the early stages of a franchise-wide rebuild.
The head coach deserves his flowers — and Mike Vrabel has gotten plenty of them from members of the national media following Sunday night’s statement win in Buffalo.
But the most telling reactions, from the biggest Patriots win in years, poured out of the visiting locker room with a common denominator — pure, unadulterated belief in quarterback Drake Maye.
For all that’s been made of the culture shift in Foxboro under Vrabel’s watch, Maye might not be getting the credit he deserves. Fans can only catch small glimpses of the mild-mannered, "aw-shucks" 23-year-old during press conferences and broadcasts. But the more Maye’s teammates talk, the more we learn about the underrated leader he's become behind the scenes.
Drake Maye left his teammates mesmerized (but not surprised) during marquee win over Bills
The Patriots had many heroes in the Buffalo game, from WR Stefon Diggs to CB Marcus Jones to rookie kicker Andy Borregales.
But only one performer left NFL fans and analysts alike picking their jaws up off the floor, and that was Maye, who made elite plays down that stretch that you don't typically see from a QB making his 17th career start.
Patriots reporter Mark Daniels of MassLive collected post-game locker room reactions specifically on Maye’s performance, and some of the commentary from players on defense was especially telling:
- “We’ve got complete trust in him. He’s our guy. I’ll go to war with him any day. I know he’s a dog.” — cornerback Carlton Davis
- “I love everything about him. I love how he carries himself. I love his style. Love his game. I know when Drake has the ball, he’s going to do something special.” — defensive tackle Christian Barmore
- “He’s going to put the ball where it needs to be. He’s going to get everybody lined up where they need to go. We’re trying to get turnovers and put the ball in their hands so they can score.” — defensive end Milton Williams
How do you climb out of the NFL doldrums and start competing for championships again? It starts with leadership, culture, and belief. The Patriots appear to be establishing all three of those key pillars early in Vrabel’s tenure, and Maye could be the reason they reach that point a lot faster than anyone expected entering 2025.