FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots have a chance to extend their streak.
Heading into this week, Mike Vrabel’s team has won five games in a row. That’s the longest winning streak in New England since 2021, when the Patriots won seven straight games.
This weekend, the Patriots have a great opportunity to add to their 6-2 win total. The 3-4 Atlanta Falcons have lost their last two games by a combined score of 54-20. They’re coming off a blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins.
It looks like the Falcons will get quarterback Michael Penix back after veteran Kirk Cousins started last week. Penix has shown potential, but has 5 passing touchdowns and 3 interceptions in six starts this season.
The Patriots’ schedule hasn’t been hard, but Vrabel’s team needs to make sure they beat teams they’re supposed to. Over the last five weeks, outside of their upset in Buffalo, that’s been the case.
Here are five things to watch in Sunday’s matchup:
Opening script
The Patriots defense has played well this season. Of course, that’s after they get past their opponent’s first drive. This season, the Patriots have allowed a score on six of eight opening drives from opposing offenses.
In Tennessee, it was a field goal. In New Orleans, they allowed a touchdown. Last weekend, against Cleveland, it was another touchdown. The Patriots priority this weekend against Atlanta is stopping the Falcons from the start of the game. The team has done a good job of settling down. They’re allowing 18.3 points per game. That’s the fourth-best mark in the NFL.
Drake Maye
Maye has a chance to join Tom Brady in the record books. He’s had seven-straight games of finishing with a passer rating above 100. If he does that against the Falcons, he’ll tie Tom Brady’s franchise record. Brady did that twice in 2007 and 2010. Maye would also tie the NFL record, which Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson also hold.
It might be harder than anticipated. The Falcons have the No. 1-ranked pass defense in the league, allowing an average of 149.1 passing yards per game. They also have the fourth-highest interception rate in the NFL at 3.28%.
Patriots running backs
Who is going to run the ball for the Patriots this week? Rhamondre Stevenson missed every practice this week due to a toe injury. It wasn’t a coincidence that the Patriots made a series of moves, shaking up their depth chart. The team signed running back Terrell Jennings off their practice squad and then signed three backs to the practice squad in D’Ernest Johnson, Jonathan Ward, and Rushawn Baker.
It looks like the Patriots will rely on rookie TreVeyon Henderson, who ran for a career-high 75 yards on 10 carries last weekend. The Patriots running back depth has already taken a hit with veteran Antonio Gibson gone due to a season-ending injury. That depth will be tested this weekend.
Christian Gonzalez vs. Drake London
This will be the first time Christian Gonzalez sees Drake London in the NFL, but not the first time the cornerback has taken on the Falcons receiver. When Gonzalez was at Colorado, he faced London and USC in 2021. The receiver went off that game with nine catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
This week, Gonzalez said he was looking forward to seeing London again. The 6-foot-4 wideout missed the Falcons’ last game, but is scheduled to return this week. Three weeks ago, he caught 10 passes for 158 yards against the Buffalo Bills. London’s Atlanta’s No. 1 receiver, and it’ll likely be up to Gonzalez to stop him.
Stopping the run
The Patriots have been dominant against the run this season. They enter this week second in the NFL in rush defense, allowing 76.0 rushing yards per game. That’s on pace to be the lowest mark in franchise history since the 1970 NFL merger. The Patriots’ record for rush yards allowed per game is 88.6, set in 2016.
The Patriots are the only team in the NFL that has not allowed a running back to rush for 50 yards in a game this season. They’re going to have their hands full when it comes to doing that this week with Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. Robinson is ninth in the NFL with 549 rushing yards, and he’s averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Prediction: Patriots 27, Falcons 17
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.