New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) fires the ball downfield during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Patriots’ Drake Maye’s Insane TD Earns NFL First

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Tyler Geis | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 6:00 AM ET

The New England Patriots' slow start against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 didn't last long. One way of looking at it is that Drake Maye spotted the Titans seven points and wanted to play catch-up in the second quarter. The second-year quarterback did just that.

Maye and the Patriots fell behind 10-3 in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Patriots' QB would find tight end Austin Hooper for a touchdown to tie the game 10-10.

The Titans would kick a field goal to go back up 13-10, but that was only temporary.

With just under two minutes to go in the first half. The Patriots would get the ball at their own 40-yard line after an illegal kick penalty against the Titans. It only took three plays, and the Pats were back in it as Maye would find Kayshon Boutte from 39 yards out to give the Patriots a 17-13 lead.

The play was one of the standout ones of the Patriots' eventual 31-13 win over the Titans.

Although the pass was for 39 yards, it actually had some height on it to go along with its distance. Maye's throw actually went 52.6 yards in the air. It's Maye's 2nd of the season over 50 yards by air distance.

Drake Maye's 39-yard TD pass to Kayshon Boutte traveled 52.6 yards in the air, Maye's 2nd of the season over 50 yards by air distance.

Maye is the only QB this season with multiple TD passes that traveled over 50 yards in the air.#NEvsTEN | #NEPats pic.twitter.com/n6UJtMDbXD
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 19, 2025

To piggyback off of this, Maye is the only QB this season with multiple TD passes to travel over 50 yards in the air.

A focal point of the game was Maye's first-half rushing that went for 43 yards (he would finish the day with 66 yards of running around the field on his own). Another one was just how on point his deep passes are. The spirals on them are very pointed and perfect-looking, similar to Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes.

Over the last three weeks, Maye's throws have been examined as pieces of pure cinema to watch. Another prime example is his numerous throws on the run to Stefon Diggs two weeks ago against the Buffalo Bills.

The Patriots definitely have their guy in Maye. How far he'll take them in 2025 is still up in the air, but one thing is for sure: Maye's drop-back pass is a move enough to make any Pats fan leap up out of their seat and hold their breath and prepare to exhale with a loud cheer because they just witnessed something they have not seen since the Tom Brady era.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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