Drake Maye passed for 269 yards and three touchdowns, along with another 54 yards rushing, as the New England Patriots pulled off a huge 29-26 upset against the Buffalo Bills. This was the 2025 MVP runner-up Maye, not the guy who was pegged as the league’s second-worst quarterback by passer rating through three games, and his resurgence has completely flipped the script for New England’s early season. For the Houston Texans, though, their season just keeps slipping away, now sitting at a brutal 0-4 after another tough loss.
Maye Finds His Groove When the Patriots Needed Him Most
Talk about a turnaround! Through three games, Maye was the biggest disappointment in the league, a puzzling fall from grace for a guy who was an MVP runner-up just last year. But against arguably the best team in the NFL, the Buffalo Bills, Maye looked like himself again. He threw for 269 yards and three scores, and then led the team in rushing with 54 more. It felt like A.J. Brown’s high ankle sprain in Week 1 threw Maye off, but with Brown’s return near, Maye finally found a rhythm with his other targets. He spread the ball around to seven different receivers, connecting with Romeo Doubs for two touchdowns and hitting Efton Chism III on a one-handed grab that ended up being the game-winner.
This is a massive confidence booster for a quarterback who honestly couldn’t get out of his own way to start the year. The Patriots desperately needed this win, especially after a blowout loss the week before, to avoid dropping into a 1-3 hole. Getting this ‘get-right’ victory against their stiffest AFC East competition? That’s a best-case scenario any way you slice it.
Houston’s Season Already Hanging By a Thread
On the other side of the AFC, the Houston Texans are in a completely different world. Last year, they dug out of an 0-3 start to make the playoffs, so most folks weren’t counting them out when they went 0-3 again this season. But now? After a 34-30 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Texans are 0-4, and that changes everything. There’s minimal room for optimism left.
Defense was supposed to be the Texans’ calling card this year, their identity. But that certainly wasn’t the case on Sunday. Allowing 34 points in a critical game when your season is on the line just isn’t going to cut it. This kind of loss could effectively end their hunt for a return to the postseason. The stakes in Week 4 were high across the league, showing who’s for real and who’s sinking fast, and right now, the Texans are definitely in the latter category. Their playoff hopes are truly hanging by a thread.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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