A rough performance against the Steelers last week put a lot of pressure on the Patriots to put together a winning game when the Panthers came to town. The offense, in particular, needed a much better showing after committing five turnovers to hand the Steelers the win, and they did exactly that on Sunday.
Other than the bounce-back performance from the running backs, which was particularly impressive from Rhamondre Stevenson after fumbling twice a week ago, it was the incredible day by Drake Maye, who continues to thrive in a new offensive system surrounded by a nearly entirely new offense from last year.
Despite the 2-2 record, the quarterback has been beyond impressive in his second season, which is even more noteworthy considering this week's game was only his 16th start in the NFL. He's already compiling a stat line that rivals that of a much more seasoned quarterback, and he's starting to develop the attitude and mindset to match.
Drake Maye continues to say all the right things whether the Patriots win or lose this season
Patriots fans have been optimistic and excited about Maye's potential since the Patriots drafted him fourth overall in last year's draft. There was a strong belief that he would have a major second-year jump now that Josh McDaniels was calling the offense, and he is certainly on the path of accomplishing that through just four games.
Because of that, the quarterback wants to build upon their impressive win over the Panthers on Sunday, giving fans exactly what they want to hear from their franchise star for the rest of the season.
Drake Maye on if today’s performance was a sign of what he could become:
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) September 28, 2025
“I sure hope so. If it leads to wins, that’s the quarterback I’m trying to become.” pic.twitter.com/gNEwZJ3mwr
If that doesn't make you want to believe in Drake Maye and the Patriots, what does?
He has slowly but surely proven to be the leader the locker room and the offense need, leading by example with a mentality that can only push the team further. It's crucial that the rest of the team adopt a similar attitude, as they head into a big Sunday Night Football game against the Bills next week, which will be their toughest test yet.
Maye is on the right track to becoming the kind of quarterback he wants to be, and the Patriots are already benefitting from his performance before he's even in his prime. If this is the kind of player he is this early in his career, the sky is the limit for what's to come.