The New England Patriots got the reset they needed from quarterback Drake Maye in a 29-26 road win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. Maye completed 22 of 37 passes for 269 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, added 54 rushing yards, and led the decisive late scoring drive to move the Patriots to 2-2.
Locked On Patriots host Nick Cattles framed the performance as Maye’s answer to the questions that followed the loss in Jacksonville last week, particularly the discussion around his throwing shoulder and ability to respond in a hostile setting. Maye’s mobility changed the game as much as his passing: His eight carries repeatedly extended plays and created first downs against a Buffalo defense that had forced New England into mistakes in previous matchups.
Maye’s final drive showed why the performance carried more weight than a clean stat line. He found wide receiver Efton Chism III on a key completion before delivering an off-platform touchdown throw to the rookie. Maye then extended the two-point conversion play and connected with running back Rhamondre Stevenson, giving the Patriots a three-point lead.
Wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Chism supplied the production Maye needed. Doubs caught six passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns, while Chism added two receptions for 42 yards and the go-ahead score. Cattles said the late-game work from those targets mattered after Maye lost wide receiver Mack Hollins during the game and played without A.J. Brown.
The Patriots also converted all three of their red-zone trips and finished with 405 total yards. Cattles credited the offense for remaining aggressive on fourth down and on the final possession, including a late completion to tight end Hunter Henry that helped close out the win. Maye still threw an interception, but the larger takeaway was that he restored the playmaking dimension that had been absent in Jacksonville.
Maye and the Patriots now have a result that changes the tenor of the early season. The next step is carrying the same red zone efficiency, downfield confidence and late-game execution into a Week 5 home game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Patriots News and Notes
– Doubs’ two-touchdown game gave the receiving corps a needed boost. His production, paired with Chism’s late touchdown, showed Maye can still find viable options when the group is short-handed.
– The defense created the closing opportunity by limiting quarterback Josh Allen to four rushing yards on five attempts and getting a late interception from safety Craig Woodson. That discipline helped offset 116 receiving yards from Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman.
