Drake Maye answered the noise with the kind of road performance that shuts everybody up.
After taking heat for a rough start to the 2026 season, the former Tar Heel responded the way he has before: by bouncing back. And he did it in one of the toughest spots possible, helping the New England Patriots beat the previously unbeaten Buffalo Bills on the road in a game that could matter in the AFC East race.
Maye finished with 322 total yards and three touchdowns, and the biggest throw of the day came when he led the game-winning drive and hit Efton Chism in the back corner of the end zone for the deciding score. It was the kind of play that will get replayed all week.
He also did it against a division opponent in Buffalo’s home stadium, with plenty of people viewing the Bills as a Super Bowl contender. On top of that, he outplayed Josh Allen, one of the best quarterbacks in the sport, while still working without his No. 1 wide receiver.
Maye wasn’t interested in turning the moment into a personal victory lap. After the game, he pointed the attention back toward the people around him.
"What a day. Everybody stepped up.
You know it means a lot. It's just the start you know we're not satisfied and we gotta keep on getting back to work."
That humility has been part of his profile throughout his career, and it showed again after a win that came with plenty of spotlight attached. While the criticism had piled up around him in recent weeks, Maye stayed in the background, kept working, and delivered the kind of outing that reminded everyone why he’s still viewed as an elite-level quarterback.
For the Patriots, the result was bigger than just one win. For Maye, it was the kind of game that puts the conversation back where he wants it - on his play.
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The rushing attack never found much traction, which put even more weight on the passing game, and the defense had its own trouble handling the Irish. For a team trying to sort out what it really is, the loss looked less like one bad afternoon than another reminder that the issues run deeper than the final score. [Read more 🡒]
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Billy Edwards Jr. Is Putting UNC In A Tough Spot
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The turnovers were costly, and they also underscored a bigger issue for UNC: the passing game has not found the consistency it needs with Edwards at the controls. With the next week looming, he is already under pressure to clean things up and protect his role as the starter. [Read more 🡒]