Drake Maye leads Patriots against Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers in a matchup of division leaders
New England (7-2) at Tampa Bay (6-2)
Sunday 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM NFL Odds: Buccaneers by 2 1/2
Against the spread: Patriots 6-3; Tampa Bay 5-3.
Series record: Patriots lead 7-3
Last meeting: Buccaneers beat Patriots 19-17 in Foxborough, Mass. on Oct. 3, 2021.
Last week: Patriots beat Atlanta 24-23 at home. Buccaneers beat New Orleans 23-3 on the road on Oct. 26.
Patriots offense: overall (12), rush (17), pass (9), scoring (7).
Patriots defense: overall (9), rush (1), pass (19), scoring (6).
Buccaneers offense: overall (17), rush (24), pass (13), scoring (15).
Buccaneers defense: overall (15), rush (7), pass (22), scoring (13t).
Turnover differential: Patriots even; Buccaneers plus-7.
Patriots player to watch
QB Drake Maye. The second-year quarterback is coming off his eighth straight game with a 100-plus passer rating. That is tied for the team record alongside Tom Brady, who had streaks of eight games in 2007 and 2010. With a ninth game this week, Maye can join Peyton Manning (nine in 2004, and Aaron Rodgers (12 in 2011) as the only players with streaks of nine games or more.
Buccaneers player to watch
WR Emeka Egbuka. The rookie wide receiver was off to a sensational start before a hamstring injury slowed him down over the past 2 1/2 games. Coming off a bye, Egbuka is healthy and ready to go. He has 34 receptions for 562 yards and five touchdowns.
Key matchup
Patriots defense vs. Buccaneers rushing attack. The Patriots have the NFL’s top-ranked run defense, allowing only 75.4 yards per game. New England also is the only team in the league this season not to allow an opposing running back to rush for 50 yards. It was just two games ago that Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield attempted a season-high 50 passes in a game in which Tampa Bay gained only 41 yards on the ground. That will have to change if the Bucs want to keep New England from making them one-dimensional.
Key injuries
Patriots: RB Rhamondre Stevenson (toe), WR Kayshon Boutte (hamstring), C Garrett Bradbury (hip), LB Christian Elliss and DL Joshua Farmer (ankle) all sat out the first practice of the week.
Buccaneers: RB Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder), WR Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula), OLB Haason Reddick (knee, ankle) and RT Luke Goedeke aren’t expected to return. RG Luke Haggard (should) could be back. WR Mike Evans (clavicle) is out.
Series notes
The previous time these teams met, Tom Brady returned to Gillette Stadium to face the Patriots for the first time after joining the Buccaneers and leading them to a Super Bowl title. Brady and the Bucs won on Oct. 3, 2021.
Stats and stuff
The Patriots have won six straight games. A victory this week will match their longest win streak since 2021. ... New England is 4-0 on the road this season. The Patriots and Seattle Seahawks (4-0) are the only NFL teams unbeaten on the road this season. ... WR Stefon Diggs leads the team with 45 catches for 508 yards. ... WR Kayshon Boutte’s 18.7-yard receiving average is second in the NFL to Indianapolis WR Alec Pierce (20.9). ... WR DeMario Douglas is coming of the first 100-yard receiving game of his career last week against Atlanta. It included a career-long 58-yard catch. ... The Buccaneers have started 6-2 for the fifth time in team history and for the third time since 2020. ... The Bucs had five sacks, four takeaways and allowed just three points in Week 8. ... RB Rachaad White has 287 yards rushing and 4 TDs. ... LB Anthony Nelson had two sacks, a forced fumble and interception return for a score in his first start in Week 8. ... Rookie CB Jacob Parrish has two sacks. ... LB Lavonte David is one of only three NFL players to have 30-plus forced fumbles and 20-plus defensive fumble recoveries. ... K Chase McLaughlin is 8-for-8 on field goals of 50-plus yards.
Seahawks Land Playmaker, Cut Ties With Rookie Amid 1st Post-NFL Trade Deadline Moves
The Seattle Seahawks are ramping up for the team’s stretch run of the season as the franchise made several roster moves following the NFL trade deadline. Seattle announced the signing of a rookie tight end and the release of an offensive lineman.
The Seahawks signed tight end Marshall Lang to the team’s practice squad on November 6, 2025. To make room for Lang, Seattle released rookie offensive tackle Logan Brown.
The news comes after Seattle also released safety Jerrick Reed earlier in the week to make room for newly acquired receiver Rashid Shaheed. Additionally, the Seahawks signed former Chiefs wideout Mac Dalena to the team’s practice squad.
It has been a week full of roster moves in Seattle. Let’s dive into the latest Seahawks news, roster moves and rumors following the NFL trade deadline.
The Seahawks Reunite With Rookie TE Marshall Lang in a Series of Roster Moves Following the NFL Trade Deadline
It is a bit of a reunion with Lang as the rookie playmaker spent training camp in Seattle. Lang also had a brief three-day stint with the New England Patriots before the franchise released the tight end on October 16.
During his five seasons at Northwestern, Lang posted 48 receptions for 491 yards and four touchdowns. Lang now joins a Seahawks roster with a crowded depth chart at tight end.
Seattle Is Excited About the Big Play Threat of New WR Rashid Shaheed
The big news of the week continues to be Seattle’s acquisition of Shaheed in a last-minute deal with the New Orleans Saints on the NFL trade deadline. Shaheed gives the Seahawks offense even more speed and explosiveness as the wideout is a deep-ball threat.
Additionally, Shaheed can be utilized on special teams as a speedy returner. The move reunites offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak with Shaheed as the assistant previously coached at New Orleans prior to joining Seattle this offseason.
“It didn’t feel like we were missing something, it’s not like we were trying to plug holes or anything like that,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said of the trade, per Seahawks.com.
“It was just an opportunity to get a great player and augment what we were doing, that was it.”
Sam Darnold After Seahawks’ Trade for Rashid Shaheed: ‘Throw as Many Routes Without Hurting My Arm as Possible to Him’
Count Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold among those excited to have another explosive weapon in the Pacific Northwest. Shaheed is already making a great first impression with his new teammates. Darnold is getting as many reps as possible with Shaheed ahead of the team’s Week 10 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
“We’re really excited to have him,” Darnold explained, via Seahawks.com. “For me, I’m just going to continue to try to get to know him as much as possible. Throw as many routes without hurting my arm as possible to him and just continue to gain that trust and confidence in him.
“… You can tell he’s really smart. Like you said, he was in the system last year, so that helps a lot with formations and different things. So, we’re just going to continue to get him up to speed as much as possible.”
