Drake Maye just gave Patriots fans a December night to remember - and maybe a glimpse of something even bigger on the horizon.
In front of a national audience on Sunday Night Football, the rookie quarterback led New England to its most important win in years, engineering a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback in Baltimore to clinch the team’s first playoff berth since 2021. And he didn’t just manage the game - he owned it.
Down 24-13 with under 10 minutes left, Maye stepped into the moment like a seasoned veteran. On a crucial drive, he dropped a 37-yard dime to wide receiver Kyle Williams - a throw that had the kind of touch and timing that gets replayed all week.
That strike cut the deficit to five, and Maye wasn’t done. On the ensuing two-point conversion, he found Rhamondre Stevenson in the flat to make it a three-point game.
Then came the drive that sealed it. Facing 4th & 2 with everything on the line, Maye kept the offense on the field and delivered again, moving the chains and keeping the Patriots’ hopes alive. Moments later, Stevenson broke loose for a 21-yard touchdown run to give New England the lead.
Baltimore had one last chance, but a turnover gave the ball back to the Patriots. That’s when Maye used his legs to ice the game, scrambling for a first down and sliding into victory formation.
Ballgame. Playoffs.
Statement made.
The 24-13 comeback marked New England’s biggest fourth-quarter rally since that Super Bowl comeback against Atlanta - yes, the 28-3 game. And while this one didn’t come with a Lombardi Trophy, it might’ve meant just as much to a franchise that’s been searching for its next era-defining quarterback.
Maye finished the night with career highs across the board: 31 completions, 380 passing yards, and two touchdowns. It was his first 300-yard game in the NFL, and it couldn’t have come at a better time - against a playoff-caliber defense, in primetime, with everything on the line.
And if you’re wondering about the MVP race? Maye is officially in it. According to DraftKings, he now holds the second-best odds to win the 2025 MVP at +185, trailing only Matthew Stafford, who sits at -215.
But Maye’s focus isn’t on individual accolades - not with the AFC’s No. 1 seed still up for grabs. The Patriots are now locked in a two-team sprint with the Denver Broncos for the top spot and that all-important first-round bye. Both teams are tied in the standings, but Denver holds the tiebreaker, meaning New England needs to finish with a better record over the final two weeks.
Here’s how it shakes out: the Patriots head to New York to face the Jets next Sunday, then close out the regular season at home against the Dolphins. Denver, meanwhile, travels to Kansas City on Christmas Day - and yes, Patrick Mahomes is expected to sit that one out - before finishing with the Chargers in Week 18.
That Chargers game could be key. Los Angeles is still fighting for a playoff spot, which means they’ll have every reason to go all out against Denver. If they can take care of business, and if New England can hold serve, the road to Super Bowl LX might just run through Foxborough again.
With Maye playing the way he is, that road suddenly doesn’t look so far-fetched.