Drake Maye’s breakout moment might’ve come back in Week 5 when he led the Patriots to an upset win over the Bills, but what he’s doing now? It’s something else entirely. Two months later, Maye isn’t just building on that early-season flash-he’s taking command of the AFC East and putting together the kind of performance that turns heads across the league.
Right from the opening drive in Foxborough, Maye set the tone. An eight-yard touchdown run capped off a confident first series, and before the first quarter was even in the books, he was back in the end zone again-this time on another rushing score that gave New England a 14-0 lead.
That’s two rushing touchdowns in 15 minutes for a quarterback who came into the game with just two on the season. Safe to say, he picked a big moment to double that total.
By the end of the first quarter, Maye had already stacked up 67 passing yards, 32 rushing yards, and those two scores on the ground. That’s not just a hot start-it’s MVP-caliber fuel, and Patriots fans are letting the league know it.
Social media lit up with chants of “MVP HIM NOWWW” and “Give him the MVP already.” And really, can you blame them?
When a rookie quarterback is putting together performances like this, in games with real playoff implications, the hype isn’t just noise-it’s rooted in results.
And Maye wasn’t the only one making noise in the backfield. Early in the second quarter, rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson broke the game open even further, slicing through the Bills’ defense for a 52-yard touchdown run.
He hit the edge, turned on the jets, and left Buffalo’s linebackers grasping at air. That made it three rushing touchdowns for New England before halftime, with the offense firing on all cylinders and the ground game punishing Buffalo from every angle.
This wasn’t just a strong start-it was a statement. The Patriots came into Week 15 riding the NFL’s longest active win streak at 10 games, and they haven’t dropped a contest since Week 3 against Pittsburgh.
With a two-game lead over the Bills in the AFC East-and the head-to-head tiebreaker in their pocket-New England is in full control of the division. And with the Broncos matching them stride for stride atop the league standings, every game matters.
But right now, the Patriots are playing like a team that knows exactly who they are. And Drake Maye?
He’s not just along for the ride. He’s driving the bus.