Drake Maye continues dramatic bounceback in win over Raiders

Drake Maye. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Patriots' Drake Maye continues dramatic bounceback in win over Raiders

By Conor Killmurray | Last updated Oct 11, 2026 7:52 PM ET

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye looked primed for a down year. In the first three weeks, he had just one touchdown and seven giveaways. But over the past two weeks, Maye has scored seven total touchdowns and has just one giveaway.

On Sunday, Maye led the Patriots to a 45-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, improving New England's record to 3-2. The Patriots started the year looking like they wouldn't bounce back from their 29-13 Super Bowl LX loss, but at the very least, they've bounced back from a 1-3 start.

Drake Maye starts to look like himself

Last season, Maye threw for 4,394 yards (4th most), completed 31 touchdown passes (3rd most) and had a 72% completion rate (1st). Based on those stats, some considered Maye an MVP, and the past two weeks have shown why he has an MVP ceiling.

Against the Raiders, Maye completed 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions. His legs also seemed to be back as a weapon, as Maye ran seven times for 25 yards and scored a touchdown.

26-34 for 374 yards and 5 total TDs for @DrakeMaye2 today @FedEx https://t.co/7L2dnJWHYj
— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2026

But Maye's ability to evade sacks was also impressive, as he scrambled in his own end zone to avoid the safety and threw it away. Through the first three weeks, Maye was sacked nine times, but in Weeks 4-5 he was sacked just twice.

"First touchdown to Pop [Douglas], I'm back there, credit to the offensive line, I'm eating a ham sandwich. I had all day back there," Maye said in the post-game press conference about the impressive protection he had on Sunday.

Despite the slow start, he didn't throw for over 300 yards until this game; Maye's 76.5% quarterback rating is now the fourth-highest among quarterbacks. In a 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, Maye threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns, looking more like himself.

If Maye keeps this form, the Patriots can remain competitive and put a season that looked close to going off the rails back on track.

Conor Killmurray

Conor Killmurray is a long-suffering fan of New York sports, particularly the Giants and Mets—a potent combination for heartbreak, if you ask him. He graduated from West Chester University with a degree in English and enjoys searching for the most interesting sports stories to write about.

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