Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sacked five times by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sacked five times by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Welcome to the Unconventional Review, an instant reaction to standouts, stats, and story lines from the Patriots’ most recent game …
Under some, if not most, circumstances, a 19-point victory over a two-win Cleveland Browns team would not constitute a crucial win.
But the Patriots’ 32-13 win — their fifth in a row — over the superlative Myles Garrett and the Browns counts as a biggie, because it required patience, resilience, and in quarterback Drake Maye’s case in particular, fearlessness in the face of pressure.
Garrett, who is on the very short list of the best defensive linemen I have had the privilege to watch wreck an offense, was a force that could barely be reckoned with, especially in the first half. Maye had just 37 passing yards in the first quarter, and the Patriots seized the lead only just before halftime, 9-7.
The win was no sure thing in the first half — but it was by the time the third quarter was complete. Maye, unbothered by the pressure, threw three touchdown passes in the quarter, including a 39-yard beauty to Kayshon Boutte to give the Patriots a 30-7 lead. Maye finished the day 18 of 24 for 282 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, while also running for 50 yards, including a 28-yarder on the play before the Boutte TD.
Maye’s talent is obvious. After Sunday’s game against perhaps the best defense, and certainly the single best defensive player they will see this season, the same can be said — reiterated, really — about Maye’s poise and toughness.
Some further thoughts, upon immediate review …
Three players who were worth watching
Players suggested in the Unconventional Preview: Myles Garrett, Quinshon Judkins, Robert Spillane.
Myles Garrett: What an absolute menace. The Browns offense really needs to apologize to this guy, because he did everything humanly possible to keep his team in the game. Garrett finished with a team-record five sacks, repeatedly treating the Patriots offensive line like he was the returning All-State selection and they were seventh graders, maybe eighth. It wasn’t really their fault — he’s just that overwhelming. It was fitting that Garrett broke Reggie White’s record for the most sacks before the age of 30 — he now has 112.5 — because his performance Sunday was reminiscent of White tormenting poor Max Lane and the Patriots’ offensive line in Super Bowl XXXI. Just imagine how bad the Browns would be without him.
TreVeyon Henderson: Now that’s what we’ve been waiting for — to get a look at what the speedy rookie second-round pick can do when he has the ball in space. After getting just two carries last week against the Titans, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels clearly made a conscious effort to deploy him this week. Henderson ran for 12 yards on the Patriots’ second play from scrimmage, and on the same drive took a pitch for 18 yards to the Browns’ 24. He also added a 27-yard run on the Patriots’ first drive of the third quarter, which ended with a 7-yard touchdown catch by Hunter Henry for a 16-7 lead.
Henderson finished with a career-high 75 yards on just 10 carries, outshining former Ohio State backfield partner Quinshon Judkins, who had just 19 yards on 9 carries for the Browns. Henderson’s lone blemish was a fumble on the Browns’ 1 late in the fourth quarter, but hey, at least Rhamondre Stevenson wasn’t the guilty party this time.
Robert Spillane: Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel managed to get through his first three games as a starter without throwing an interception. But as the Patriots began to take command in the third quarter, a rookie mistake from the southpaw QB felt inevitable. Spillane made it a reality, hauling in Gabriel’s third-and-7 pass midway through the third quarter and returning it 33 yards to the Browns’ 6. Three plays and one Stephon Diggs 1-yard touchdown reception later, and the Patriots had a secure lead at 23-7. Spillane was everywhere Sunday, finishing with 14 tackles, his fourth game in the last six with double figures.
Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane returns an interception 33 yards to the Browns' 6 in the third quarter.
Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane returns an interception 33 yards to the Browns' 6 in the third quarter.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Grievance of the game
My grievance is trying to come up with a grievance when there’s not much to complain about.
But for the sake of the bit, we’ll go with the Browns’ 70-yard march on their opening drive, when they grabbed a 7-3 lead on Harold Fannin’s 18-yard touchdown reception. It’s the fifth time in their last six games that the Patriots have allowed points on an opponent’s first drive.
They do need to clean that up if all of their growing aspirations are going to be fulfilled, but they also do a fine job of getting their act together after those bumpy starts. The Browns had just 44 yards over their next five possessions after the first series.
Three notes scribbled in the margins
Predicted final score: Patriots 19, Browns 13
Final score: Patriots 32, Browns 13
Boutte is developing into something rare among wide receivers: an efficient deep threat. Boutte had three catches on five targets for 75 yards, including his seemingly weekly long touchdown catch, the aforementioned 39-yard strike. Boutte now has 23 receptions on 30 targets for 431 yards — 18.7 yards per catch — and five touchdowns this season. This is also a fine spot for a reminder that Stanley Morgan averaged 19.4 yards per catch on 534 receptions during his 13 years with the Patriots. He belonged in the Pro Football Hall of Fame a long time ago … Rough day for Browns rookie receiver Isaiah Bond, who was targeted on third down on three consecutive first-half drives, and couldn’t make a play on any of them. He was also Gabriel’s deep target on Jaylinn Hawkins’s interception late in the third quarter. He finished without a catch on four targets … And to keep this as an all-receiver edition of the scribbled notes, we must acknowledge the contributions of Mack Hollins, who caught all seven of his targets for 89 yards, including catches of 19 (on a reverse pass in which Maye nearly got throttled) and 21 yards. The Patriots were supposed to be thin at receiver entering the season, but almost every one of them has contributed, if not outright thrived, in a defined role.
Jermaine Hawkins holds the football that his son, Patriots cornerback Jaylinn Hawkins, gave him after making an interception in the third quarter.
Jermaine Hawkins holds the football that his son, Patriots cornerback Jaylinn Hawkins, gave him after making an interception in the third quarter.Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff
Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com.