The New England Patriots proved Mike Vrabel right when, after the Buffalo win, he said the team was back in the race.
Drake Maye, after a rather disappointing first three games, has bounced back in MVP-style fashion with two terrific performances, first against the Bills and then in Week 5 against the 3-1 Raiders.
The triumphant home win, really a beatdown, marked a key milestone for the Patriots, with Maye leading the way. It was the first time the quarterback had back-to-back games with at least three passing touchdowns, and the first time a Patriots QB had reached that peak since Tom Brady threw three against the Dolphins and the Colts in 2018.
Yes, that's Tom Brady territory, and that was the year the Patriots won their last Super Bowl. With Maye and Tom Brady, two completely different quarterbacks, Maye is stepping up his 2026 game to his 2025 level, and it's welcome news for Patriot Nation.
Drake Maye is again exhibiting MVP-like qualities again after a rough start to 2026
Maye had an impressive statistical game against Las Vegas, completing 26 of 36 passes (76.4%) for 374 yards and four passing touchdowns. To make it even better, he also ran in for another score.
That's five touchdowns to his credit. It's safe to say that Maye's early critics have been silenced by his MVP-level performance.
It's no secret that the key to any passing game is "clean pockets," as Vrabel told reporters after the game. Despite their depleted offensive line, Maye still had plenty of time to make big throws against a good Raiders defense.
Additionally, the Patriots committed only one turnover (a fumble by running back Corey Kiner) but none by Maye.
Their vulnerable receiving corps also exceeded expectations, even with Mack Hollins placed on injured reserve earlier in the week. That allowed Maye to use one of his best traits, deep throws, including a few impressive throws to Kyle Williams and Efton Chism, with Williams' 49-yard pass helping Maye reach another career peak.
"Williams and Maye connected on a 49-yard pass on the final play of the third quarter. Maye now has gone over 300-yards passing for the second time in his career. His first-career 300-yard passing game came in Week 16 at Baltimore last season. Williams now has 91 receiving yards vs. Las Vegas, a single-game career high."
The quarterback has now emphatically silenced his critics after a grueling first four games against four 2025 playoff teams (three away). Now that he's beaten the Bills and demolished a solid Raiders team that came to Foxborough, it's safe to say the 2025 version of Drake Maye is back.
That's music to Patriots fans' ears, but it's nails on a blackboard for the Patriots' upcoming opponents.
Maye and the Patriots are 3-2, and they're back in the hunt. And while injuries are mounting, they still manage to overcome them. It all emanates from the quarterback, and perhaps an improving offensive line that's starting to provide clean pockets.
If that continues, it's bad news for other NFL teams on the Patriots' schedule, very bad news.
Add us as a preferred source on Google