The New England Patriots will face off against the Green Bay Packers in Week 9 of the NFL season at Gillette Stadium. The Packers share the Patriots' 5 -3 record, but they sit in last place in the NFC North, while the Patriots are securely in second place in the AFC East.
The two quarterbacks will always be the two quarterbacks. In this case, they'll be Drake Maye and Jordan Love.
Maye will have the edge in this matchup, based on how he's performed over the last few weeks. That earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Month award for October, and rightfully so.
Last week against the Dolphins, he threw for 16 completions on 20 attempts, 199 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Maye is on a roll after a rough start, and a home game is just what the Patriots need to take their record to 6 and 3.
Love has averaged 282 yards per game and has 16 touchdowns with only six interceptions this season. He's having a good year, but his completion rate is still only 61.5 percent.
The Patriots' quarterback, on the other hand, has 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions, but his completion rate is up to 67.1 percent for the year, and he's just warming up. Also, unlike Maye, Love isn't much of a runner, which could be an important factor for the Patriots in Week 9.
The New England Patriots can't boast the receivers Green Bay has
The New England Patriots have been riddled with injuries at the wide receiver position with their top three receivers, A.J. Brown, Mack Hollins (who may be ready to return), and Romeo Doubs, missing multiple games.
Conversely, the Packers boast two top receivers: Christian Watson, with 42 receptions for 708 yards and six touchdowns, and second-year receiver Matthew Golden, with 43 catches for 619 yards and four touchdowns. Packers tight end Tucker Kraft also has 35 receptions for 350 yards and three touchdowns.
For the Patriots, only Demario Douglas has more than 20 catches, with 26 receptions for 332 yards and four touchdowns. Patriots' tight end Hunter Henry, who was injured against Miami, has 29 receptions for 326 yards and two touchdowns.
The Packers will clearly have the edge in available receiving talent when they face the Patriots in Week 9.
Both teams' defenses are solid, with the Patriots allowing 309.9 yards per game and 17 total touchdowns, while the Packers allow 314.9 yards per game and have given up 20 touchdowns. Fox Sports ranks the Patriots seventh in the league on defense and the Packers 10th
Yet, no matter what other factors you consider, the importance of the quarterback matchup can't be overstated. In that respect, the Patriots, with quarterback Drake Maye on fire the last few weeks, have the clear edge.
They'll outscore Green Bay, beat the Packers at home in Week 9, and take their record to 6-3.
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