Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has a lot of football in front of him, but one play from Sunday night will certainly wind up on his career highlight reel.
After a game-tying field goal by the Bills just before the two-minute warning, the Patriots had the ball at their own 29-yard line to start a possession. Maye dropped back to pass and was immediately pressured by defensive lineman Daquan Jones. Jones got his hands on Maye, but the quarterback fended him off with his left arm long enough to flick the ball to wide receiver Stefon Diggs for a 12-yard gain.
That play led to a game-winning field goal in the final seconds and it was the subject of a question for head coach Mike Vrabel at a Monday press conference. Vrabel described his reaction before going on to say what Maye accomplished by leading the Pats to a win in Buffalo.
“‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.’ It was an 8-yard loss to a 12-yard gain,” Vrabel said, via a transcript from the team. “He’s continuing to grow and gain confidence, and show us, show everybody, show his team and himself the ability to operate in the pocket, ability to operate in scheduled, move the pocket plays and then also off-schedule. So, putting the ball in good locations, not throwing behind guys, going on the move and putting the ball in harm’s way.”
Maye established himself as the leader of the Patriots offense before Sunday night, but it was the biggest win of his career to date and felt like it could be a stepping stone to even bigger things for him and the team in 2025 and beyond.