With 1:32 left in the third quarter, the New England Patriots were clinging to a five-point lead and desperately searching for momentum. The Houston Texans had clawed their way back into the game, marching into Patriots territory on two of their first three second-half drives and converting both into field goals. Meanwhile, New England’s offense had stalled - a fumble followed by a punt - and the energy inside Gillette Stadium was starting to tighten.
That’s when Drake Maye and Kayshon Boutte delivered a moment that will be etched into Patriots playoff lore.
Facing first-team All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr. on the outside, Boutte streaked down the right sideline. Maye, under pressure and needing a spark, trusted his guy. The rookie QB dropped a dime, and Boutte laid out, fully extended, to secure a 32-yard touchdown that not only electrified the crowd but also gave New England a critical 12-point cushion early in the fourth quarter.
It was a play that didn’t just swing the game - it reminded everyone watching that this Patriots team, led by a rookie quarterback, isn’t afraid of the moment.
“Nothing’s really going to be perfect,” tight end Hunter Henry said postgame, praising Maye’s poise. “You’ve just got to continue to fight, to scratch, to claw. Some things might not go your way, and you just have to come back, keep swinging.”
Henry’s seen it all season from Maye - the calm under pressure, the refusal to flinch, and the ability to bounce back from mistakes. On a day when the weather in Foxborough was far from friendly and the Texans defense was bringing heat, Maye once again delivered when it mattered most.
“I’m proud of him for continuing to do that,” Henry added. “He’s done it all year, but today was pretty, pretty special in those elements. He’s a special, special player and a lot of fun to play with.”
Left tackle Will Campbell, another rookie who’s been in the trenches with Maye all season, echoed the sentiment. “He is who he is for a reason,” Campbell said.
“Nothing can make him flinch. I’ve said it before, and I like our chances anytime he’s in the game.
He’s just a heck of a player, even better leader. I wouldn’t want anybody else commanding the huddle.”
And that leadership has been tested. Maye’s playoff run hasn’t been flawless.
He’s faced two top-tier defenses in back-to-back weeks and has turned the ball over five times in those two games, including six total fumbles. Sure, the Hail Mary interception at the end of the first half against Houston is one you can shrug off, but the ball security issues are real.
Still, what’s just as real is how this offense - with Maye at the controls - keeps responding.
Last week, it was a clutch touchdown to Henry. This week, it was the deep shot to Boutte. When the Patriots have needed a play, Maye has found a way to make it happen.
“We talk about not going in the blender,” said head coach Mike Vrabel. “And I think it’s hard.
They put pressure on us, and we know we’ve got to take care of the ball. Drake knows that.
But to be able to stay the course and to trust Kayshon and give him a great ball that was him or nobody - those guys have kind of done that all year. When we needed a play, they’ve been able to do that for us.”
Maye, as he’s done all season, kept it grounded in his postgame comments. He acknowledged the tough conditions and his own need to tighten up the ball security, especially when scrambling. But he also spoke like a quarterback who understands the bigger picture.
“We did what we had to do in the game,” Maye said. “The elements were a little tough.
I have to be better with the football when I’m taking off and running. From there, just know that the football is the prized possession.
And when we don’t turn the ball over and put the team in the best spots, I like our chances.”
And that’s the thing - with Maye under center, this team believes. Mistakes and all, they’ve bought into his leadership, his toughness, and his ability to make the big throw when it counts.
Playoff football is about moments. And on Sunday, the Patriots created one - a sideline strike, a full-extension grab, and a crowd erupting in the cold Foxborough air.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was resilient. And in January, that’s what matters most.