Patriots' Drake Maye eyeing 'the big one' ahead of massive game vs. Bills 

As Josh Alper shared for Pro Football Talk, first-year New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said on Monday that he won't use the commemorative "hat and T-shirt" merchandise as any type of motivation, even though the 11-2 Patriots will clinch the AFC East title if they defeat the 9-4 Buffalo Bills this coming Sunday. 

During a late afternoon appearance on Boston sports radio station WEEI, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye indicated that he and others in the locker room are thinking beyond Week 15 of the season. 

Patriots want "the big one" along with the AFC East

"There’s the big one at the end," Maye directly said, per Conor Ryan of Boston.com. "You don’t really care as much about what you get for the [wins] along the way. The last game is a big one that you really hold on to. So that’s what we’re trying to work to. And I know a lot of people out there are trying to work towards the same goal. So it’s a tough challenge."

Back in Week 5, Andres Borregales kicked a go-ahead field goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation that helped the Patriots earn a 23-20 win over the Bills. Maye completed 13-of-14 passes for 184 yards in the second half of that game. 

"I think it’s one of our goals this year — to win our division," Maye added. "And it’s pretty cool to see that come to life, and one of the biggest things that Coach Vrabel is big on is going out and earning it. … But at the same time, all that hat and t-shirt stuff — I think the best thing I heard from [offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels] is you really got to keep going."

Drake Maye recruits free agents to Boston Red Sox

Maye's latest radio appearance occurred in the early days of MLB's winter meetings at a time when the Boston Red Sox were being linked with big-name free agents such as sluggers Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber. On Monday, Maye recruited available players to bring their talents to the region. 

"I think just the way this city and the New England area embraces sports, sports players and professional sports players is one of the coolest things I’ve been a part of," Maye explained. "Watching them embrace me and embrace my teammates and some of the other athletes, and how beloved some of the famous guys [are]...has been really cool for me. And it’s one of, I think, the greatest sports cities in the country."

Maye went on to call Boston "the city of champions." He will look to guide the Patriots to their most recent title this coming Sunday. As of Tuesday, DraftKings Sportsbook had New England as a 1.5-point home underdog against Buffalo.