The New England Patriots bested a feisty Cleveland Browns team, 32-13. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye continues to set the NFL on fire. Against the Browns, he equalled a record Tom Brady set in 2018 by throwing for three touchdowns in a quarter.
More importantly, the Patriots returned home and won their fifth game in a row, elevating their AFC East-leading record to a solid 6-2. Maye would be the first to say he doesn't give a hoot about individual records, but they're still meaningful.
Good and great teams are built on the play of great players. There's no substitute for talent. Maye has brought that since he first stepped onto the scene in the fourth game of 2024, and he's never looked back. Now with a solid if unspectacular accompanying cast, he's turning the NFL on its head.
Drake Maye continues to break longtime records set by Tom Brady
As he progresses into his second season, Drake Maye has put any and all speculation about any sophomore slump or any other kind of regression to bed. His second season is emerging as a classic, and the three third-quarter touchdowns against the Browns as noted by Mike Reiss, are just his latest feat.
From ESPN Research: Drake Maye totaled 3 pass passing TDs in the 3rd quarter, as he became the first Patriots QB with 3 passing TDs in a quarter since Tom Brady (Dec. 9, 2018 at Dolphins).
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 26, 2025
Records are records, but more important are what they have to represent, and that is wins. Most athletes, with their feet firmly planted on the ground, will relish the records, but only if they're accompanied by the most critical aspect of team sports: wins. Of that, you can certainly be certain with the level-headed young Mr. Maye.
The Patriots' young quarterback is sitting on the cusp of greatness
Drake Maye's rookie season was brilliant, though it wasn't recognized as such in most circles because of his team's dismal 4-13 record. After no first-team prepping at all, he entered the scene in game four of 2024 and led that woeful team the rest of the way. While the wins didn't emerge, the young quarterback gained valuable experience in the worst of circumstances.
Maye was sacked often last season, yet still managed a solid 66 percent completion percentage. His offensive line and wide receiving corps were both ranked at or near the bottom of the NFL. It wasn't a prescription for winning, and they didn't, though they lost six games by only one score. Then, on January 12, 2025, everything changed when owner Bob Kraft hired Mike Vrabel to run his team.
Vrabel proceeded, in one improbable offseason, to reconstruct a lackluster roster into an NFL contender. His stated goal was to dethrone the Buffalo Bills at the top of the AFC East, but few believed that was possible. Yet, Vrabel, a pro's pro, knew better. He knew he had the key to unlock the whole business —a brilliant young quarterback in Drake Maye —and he hasn't been disappointed.
In eight games, Maye is throwing for a scorching 75.2 percent of his passes (75 percent against the Browns). Thus far this season, he's thrown for 15 touchdowns with only three interceptions. Last season, he had 15 TDs and 10 INTs. Maye and the Patriots are headed for the upper echelons of the NFL, and when they tie a Tom Brady record at any time, it's a clear sign they're on their way.