It wasn’t pretty, but the Patriots’ 24-23 victory over the Falcons keeps New England tied for the NFL’s longest win streak at six games.
This game had everything: momentum swings, explosive plays, turnovers, clashes between top-tier players, even Cardi B!
OKURRR @iamcardib 👑 pic.twitter.com/3qZD63idsF
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 2, 2025
The Patriots squeaked out what looked like a potential blowout at halftime, due largely to a second-half collapse from Josh McDaniels’ offense, Drake London going full Thanos, and insufficient play from the team’s best position groups.
I wanted to harp on these things as I entered the elevator to attend head coach Mike Vrabel’s press conference, but then it dawned on me: the Patriots still won.
These are games New England would find a way to lose in recent seasons. Instead, each phase made plays when it had to and won on the back of complementary football. There’s something to be said for that, and Vrabel’s comments made it clear that this team is rising from the depths of the NFL one step at a time.
“Sure, but it’s a funny league, and we’re going to learn from winning so that we don’t have to learn from losing about taking care of the ball and complementary football and how quickly things can change,” Vrabel said. “End of the half, we take a nap, like we talked about the other day. We took a little nap and they scored and made it a one-possession game. Give them a lot of credit, but give our guys credit there for finishing and coming up big when we had to in the fourth quarter with the pressure, the intentional grounding forced them to punt, and then offensively being able to finish with the football was huge.”
Here’s the requisite bad and ugly, but most importantly for tonight, the good from the Patriots’ win against the Falcons.
DeMario Douglas
DeMario Douglas had a career day under difficult circumstances, recording his first 100-yard receiving game.
Douglas’ first catch was a beautifully-schemed play from McDaniels, who put the slot receiver at running back to create a mismatch against linebacker Jalon Walker.
RIGHT IN THE BREAD BASKET 🥖🧺@DrakeMaye2 | @popshotta3
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/vGjvhhUL2P
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 2, 2025
Douglas’ next catch was 58-yard gain on 3rd & 7, winning a footrace across the field and slipping multiple tackles for nearly 30 yards after the catch.
Go CRAZY @popshotta3 💨@DrakeMaye2 | #NEPats
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/9AUyONvmOF
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 2, 2025
Douglas also moved the chains on a contested dig target during two-minute, and he boxed out his defender along the sideline for another contested conversion to start the second half.
Douglas’ big-play ability has flashed throughout the past month, and he’s excelled as a blocker when not getting the rock. It sounds like efforts could lead to an expanded role moving forward.
“We’ve got to keep finding Pop,” Vrabel said. “You always look, and when Pop doesn’t have the ball and somebody else does, he’s turning and blocking and doing all the things that we ask him to do to protect our identity. We have to continue to find him on some of these runaways or some of these slot plays that are really good for him. I love having him on the team. He’s fun to coach. He sits right up front, and he’s always into it. Great teammate. Always happy for his success.”
Run Defense
The Patriots’ ground defense extends its historic streak, holding elite back Bijan Robinson to 48 yards and just one explosive play.
Harold Landry, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Christian Gonzalez all had run stops, showing how sturdy New England was–and needed to be–on the perimeter. Defensive backs Carlton Davis, Jaylinn Hawkins, and Craig Woodson also had multiple tackles against the run, as did nose tackle/fullback Khyiris Tonga.
The Falcons probably should’ve leaned on their run game more early in the game, but that’s none of the Patriots’ business. Another impressive performance from arguably the league’s best run defense.
Running Backs
Rhamondre Stevenson missed today’s game with a toe injury, thrusting TreVeyon Henderson and Terrell Jennings into the spotlight. While the Patriots’ backs averaged fewer than four yards each, and they combined for fewer than 100 yards, it was an encouraging performance for the inexperienced backs.
Henderson’s contact balance and patience continue to improve, even turning a potential tackle for loss into a positive gain. The rookie had a consecutive seven-yard gains on outside carries, but most of his damage came on tough runs inside against a vulnerable Falcons interior. Henderson also continues to develop as a blocker, where he was quiet in an expanded role.
Jennings went from a five-minute back to a true RB2 against the Falcons. The hard-nosed style that allowed him to thrive in those moments translated in today’s plan, with the second-year back consistently falling forward and picking up more yards than were blocked for him. Jennings’ efforts were rewarded early in the game, with Will Campbell and Jack Westover helping pave the way to his first NFL score.
First NFL TD for Terrell Jennings 👏
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/hR5dHUQPrj
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 2, 2025
“I mean, he’s run hard,” Vrabel said of Jennings. “He’s run hard in five-minute. He’s a physical back. Those guys rotated most of the game. And TreVeyon helped us win and so did Terrell, trying to get the ball to everybody in the rotation.”
The run blocking deserves credit for opening lanes, but it was less trustworthy in the second half. The biggest lowlight was an eight-yard loss that contributed to an untimely stop in the fourth quarter.
“We had some openings I wish we would have been able to pop a few more,” Vrabel said. “But we moved them and we get on the second level and felt like it was okay. Could have been better. Really just — we get disjointed a few times. Too many seconds and longs, too many times we put ourselves in long yardage, but we converted. We were good on 3rd down, even with that. So again, the run game, and those guys will complement each other. Backs ran hard and took care of the ball, and then we had a few perimeter plays. We’ll just try to figure out what gives us the best chance each and every week to win the game.”
Hunter Henry
Hunter Henry wasn’t on the same page as his quarterback on an interception, but the veteran made crucial plays throughout today’s game.
Henry moved the chains on multiple third downs, including an impressive grab on a tightly-contested target and the catch that iced the game.
What a throw and catch on 3rd down 🪟@DrakeMaye2 | @Hunter_Henry84
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/18EIQTSZ0u
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 2, 2025
“Great timing by Drake, great catch by Hunter,” Vrabel said. “Getting a couple extra yards and staying inbounds, all the stuff that we practice in five-minute, and they’re believing in it and they’re buying into it because they see that that’s what good teams do to end the game.”
On a day where the passing game struggled, Henry stood out as one of the few bright spots despite his potential blemish.
Pass Protection
The Patriots allowed six sacks for a second consecutive week. Drake Maye has been responsible for about half of these takedowns, and to his blockers’ credit, there were some beautiful pockets in this game.
Still, Mike Onwenu appeared to miss two twists today, one of which led to a strip sack, loss of possession, and eventual Falcons touchdown before halftime.
JALON x JAMES
CBS | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/G1Ioxn5NHD
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 2, 2025
Onwenu also lost one-on-one against Ruke Orhorhoro to kill a red zone possession. He wasn’t alone in his struggles, as Will Campbell and Jared Wilson were also knocked back at times, but it was an especially dissapointing performance from a highly-paid veteran.
Pass Rush
Michael Penix Jr. had far too much time to throw on most dropbacks. He held the ball for at least three seconds on each of the Falcons’ explosive completions, contain was spotty, and the middle of the pocket was wide open on the quarterback’s explosive scramble.
Milton Williams was a force in spurts, and K’Lavon Chaisson notched an early sack, but it was a below-average performance for the group overall. Christian Barmore was uncharacteristically quiet on initial viewing, and it’s clear more juice is needed in the edge rotation. New England’s blitzes also didn’t seem to get home, especially when sending defensive backs.
The tape may show that several four-man rushes stymied by extra blocking, but this wasn’t good enough for the team’s most highly-paid unit.
Red Zone Defense
Tip of the cap to London for making some incredible end zone grabs, particularly his final touchdown against Carlton Davis.
Third TD on the day for Drake!
CBS | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/w4rZiATK4P
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 2, 2025
However, Marcus Jones wasn’t put in the best positions to succeed on London’s first two scores.
The Falcons’ first touchdown came on an admittedly well-designed concept that challenged Jones and Gonzalez’s inside-out coverage with motion, a stack, and switch releases.
Throw it up to Drake ‼️@DrakeLondon_
CBS | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/SelSv3zZfx
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 2, 2025
That would’ve been easier to swallow had Jones not been locked onto London against a bunch before Atlanta’s second score of the day.
Another one, @DrakeLondon_ ‼️
CBS | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/sp0lh5eedL
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 2, 2025
Jones told reporters postgame that adjustments were made later in the game, which could be seen when Gonzalez followed London to the slot on a third down. But allowing better teams to go 3-4 in the red zone won’t cut it, and it’s the latest example of a common trend for the defense.
“When you’re cleaning up, need to take care of the football and be better defensively in the red zone. That’s been our issue, and they made some good plays down there, but we’ve got to be better in the red zone.”
Drake Maye’s Turnover-Worthy Plays
The good news: Drake Maye’s 259 passing yards were the most Atlanta’s allowed this season, earned a passer rating over 100 for the eight straight week, and completed multiple tight-window throws while continuing to add to the rushing total.
The bad news: Maye appeared to hold the ball too often, committed too many turnover-worthy plays, and wasn’t in-sync with his receivers on too many dropbacks.
Maye’s interception can be chalked up to a simple miscommunication that led to disaster–especially given it’s a positive staple in their offense–but he took his hand off the ball while trying to evade Walker on his strip sack, then he dropped the rock after tripping over an offensive lineman.
“Yeah, I think 21-7, we really got a chance to get some more points going into halftime, Maye explained. “Free rush there, first thing I had to do, I told our quarterback coach, just got to tuck the ball to the chest, and getting in a bad habit of trying to break tackles on these guys that I don’t have a great chance of breaking a tackle on.”
Maye also missed some open receivers and into sacks against a disciplined Falcons interior.
The Patriots did enough to win today, and Maye was a big part of that. But a franchise quarterback can’t put his team in bad positions multiple times a game. Fortunately, the young star is pretty self-aware, and he knows the best remedies to a poor performance are moving on and adding to the win column.
“Yeah, first I’ve got to play better for this team down the road,” Maye said. “I think it’s tough, it’s tough in a game where you win and you can feel in that locker room that these guys know we can play better. I think it’s a good feeling to have, but also at the same time it’s tough to win in this league, so you’ve got to enjoy it. You’ve got to enjoy it. And Hunt made a big play down on the sideline, five-minute. Shoot, we didn’t want to make the defense make another stop for us again. And there’s so much things to learn from this game, and I’m just proud of this team for — it doesn’t matter if it’s 24-23 or 3-2. Proud we got the win.”
Kayshon Boutte (hamstring, did not return)
Christian Elliss (hip, did not return)
Christian Gonzalez (head, did not return but spoke post-game)
J.Tavai, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at NE 32.
C.Gonzalez, Illegal Contact, declined.
K.Chaisson, Illegal Use of Hands, 5 yards, enforced at ATL 15 – No Play.