BALTIMORE — New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye called it the “elephant in the room.”
Last week, in a heartbreaking loss to the Buffalo Bills, he had two chances to lead a winning drive late in the fourth quarter, and it didn’t happen. Given the same opportunity Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens, Maye delivered with one of the signature performances of his career — leading a nine-play, 89-yard touchdown march to help the visiting Patriots record a 28-24 victory that clinched a playoff spot.
“It was kind of a wake-up call last week,” Maye said. “This week, it was like, ‘Man, let’s not have that feeling two weeks in a row.'”
Maye finished 31-of-44 for 380 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, recording the first 300-yard passing game of his NFL career.
“Just gritty. He got hit. They pressured. He just kept getting up and battling. He didn’t flinch,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said. “I think it was important for all of us to have that game — the entire team.”
Maye was pressured on 47% of his dropbacks in the fourth quarter, according to ESPN Research, and completed 86% of his passes in the final quarter, averaging 9.9 yards per attempt.
The Patriots trailed 24-21 when Maye took the field with 5:02 remaining and the ball at the New England 11-yard line. He connected with receiver Mack Hollins on a 20-yard pass up the right side to start the drive, and after short passes to running back Rhamondre Stevenson for 4 yards and receiver Stefon Diggs for 9 yards, he uncorked a long, incomplete pass to receiver Kayshon Boutte that Patriots coaches and players believed should have been defensive pass interference on Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
That eventually set up another key play, on fourth-and-2, when Maye found Diggs for a 21-yard catch-and-run.
“That was a great ball. I ran a route, tried to put speed on him, and Drake put it where only I could get it,” said Diggs, who finished with a team-high nine receptions for 138 yards.
After a 6-yard connection to Hollins, Stevenson darted 21 yards for the winning touchdown just before the two-minute warning.
On the Ravens’ ensuing possession, Patriots defensive end/outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson forced a fumble on receiver Zay Flowers that cornerback Marcus Jones recovered, and the Patriots ran out the clock.
“So proud of this team. It took everybody,” Maye said. “Trust, belief — I like our chances when we’re in those scenarios.”
The Patriots improved to 12-3 and are 7-0 on the road, with Maye becoming the first starting quarterback since 1950 to lead his team to seven straight road wins in his first or second season.
Though there was elation in the postgame locker room after the Patriots clinched their first playoff berth since 2021, coaches and players also noted the team has higher goals.
The Patriots visit the New York Jets on Sunday, then finish the season at home against the Miami Dolphins. Winning both of those games would clinch their first AFC East title since 2019.
“It’s awesome to clinch the playoffs, but we want to win the division,” Maye said.
