The New England Patriots, as Head Coach Mike Vrabel alluded to after the Buffalo game, and Frank Sinatra sang in his song, "That's Life," are right back in the race for the AFC East title and more.
In the process, their terrific young quarterback, Drake Maye, whom Boston media types quickly dismissed after a slow start, has regained his swagger and is torching NFL defenses every week. SI.com's Peter Dewey notes in his betting odds that Maye is back to near-MVP form.
Not all is well in Foxborough, though; big challenges remain. The biggest is the Patriots' injury list, piling up like garbage at the beach after a 90-degree summer day. The team has lost three offensive line starters: right guard Mike Onwenu, right tackle Morgan Moses, and left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, as well as their two-position back-up, Ben Brown, who filled in for Onwenu.
Without a program, you can hardly tell who's left on the O-line against the Jets. Yet with Drake Maye, anything is possible.
New England Patriots Drake Maye is sending a message to the NFL
Maye's play in the last three games has been outstanding. While his completion percentage hasn't met his usual high standards, averaging only 64.1 percent, he's thrown ten touchdown passes, thrown only one interception, and beaten the Bills, Raiders, and Jets in succession.
None of those teams, especially that team in Buffalo, are NFL chopped liver. Regardless, Maye, whoever can get out of the infirmary for a game, is carving them all up like Thanksgiving turkeys a month early.
In Dewey's betting odds for the NFL's 2026 MVP race, only the Bills' Josh Allen, the 49ers' Brock Purdy, the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, the Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence, and the Chargers' Joe Burrow are ahead of Maye. After a truly disastrous first three games, it's a huge relief that Maye has reverted to form and is back among the NFL's elite quarterbacks.
Dewey has Allen at the top of the heap, but Maye is on the rise in the MVP sweepstakes.
"Josh Allen Takes Top Spot Back in NFL MVP Odds Allen didn’t have his best game of the season in a win over Las Vegas, but he threw for 255 yards and two scores...The former MVP still has 17 total touchdowns (nine passing, eight rushing) in the 2026 season, and the Bills are in a great spot to land a top spot in the AFC at 5-1. Allen’s dual-threat ability gives him a really solid floor when it comes to his MVP case...Another week, another jump in the MVP odds for Drake Maye.
The star quarterback led the New England Patriots to a third straight win, and they’re now 4-2 and in a great spot to make the playoffs in the AFC. Maye threw for three scores in Week 6, and he’s up to 10 touchdown passes in his last three games. The MVP runner-up in the 2025 season, Maye has gone from +4000 to +1600 to +1400 to win MVP over the last three weeks."
Observers should keep in mind that Maye's resurgence has come despite a monstrous injury list, with his offensive line, as mentioned, especially hard-hit. Losing three starters and a top backup would be a disaster for any NFL team.
For Maye and whoever else is healthy enough to get on the field, it's just next man up: keep your foot on the gas pedal and win. One standout substitute is 2026's first-round draft pick, tackle Caleb Lomu.
Lomu stepped in for Moses at right tackle and neutralized the Jets' rookie pass rusher, David Bailey. Two relative unknowns, backups Walter Rouse and Matt Prior, helped him, filling in admirably at guard.
Now that top receiver A.J. Brown is back (after an inauspicious return against the Jets), and explosive running back TreVeyon Henderson is also playing, expect Maye's resurgence to continue, and his MVP bid to gain even more impetus.
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