Patriots’ Drake Maye Joins Patrick Mahomes With Historic Win
If you can be out there making NFL history in a Week 6 win over the one-win Saints, things must be going well. And for Drake Maye and the Patriots, things are going well.
A week after Maye led a thrilling win against the undefeated Bills, he led the Patriots to a grinding win over the Saints, overcoming second-half offensive doldrums to make enough big fourth-quarter plays to seal the win. Maye was 18-for-26 passing with 261 yards and three touchdowns, and took only one sack, for one yard. He posted his fifth straight 100-plus passer rating, at 140.1.
In doing so, the NFL pointed out, Maye joined some elite company, including Super Bowl champ Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs.
Wrote the NFL on Twitter/X: “Drake Maye joins Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino as the only QBs age 23 or younger with 200+ pass yards and a 100+ passer rating in 5 consecutive games.”
Drake Maye Now 4th in Passer Rating
That’s a lot of qualifiers, of course, but the point is that Maye is very, very good at a very, very young age. Marino is a Hall of Famer, Mahomes is sure to be one, too, and Prescott likely will join them.
Maye had a passer rating of 80.6 in the Patriots’ opening loss to the Raiders, a game he (and all of New England) would very much like to play over again. He was 30-for-46 passing with 287 yards, a touchdown and a frustrating interception that day, but since then, he has had passer ratings over 100 every week: 137.3 vs. Miami; 102.1 vs. Pittsburgh; 155.6 vs. Carolina; 101.1 vs. Buffalo; and 140.1 vs. New Orleans.
Maye is fourth in the NFL among starting quarterbacks, with a 112.5 passer rating.
Patriots Taking Shots Down the Field
What was encouraging for the Patriots was that, against the Saints, Maye repeatedly took big shots down the field, something he’d done on a more limited basis to open the season. That could be a sign that the team is willing to open him up more, and give him more trust.
No such throw was bigger than the one he hit to Kayshon Boutte in the fourth quarter, a 21-yard play to the sideline that converted a third-and-11 from the New England 30-yard line as the two-minute warning approached.
“It’s about making good decisions,” Maye said. “It’s about trying to prove it over and over and over again. You know, being consistent and doing that, knowing when to be smart with the football. That’s the biggest thing that, you know, in that situation, try to get a first down, safe throw and what a play by Boutte.”
Drake Maye: Patriots Have ‘More Work to Do’
But there were plenty of miscues for the Patriots, too, and some areas of concern. The running game, for example, continues to be stuck in mud, as the team gained only 73 yards on 31 carries, an anemic 2.4 yards per carry.
Maye will take the win, but knows there are ways to get better.
“We got more work to do. That’s the big thing,” he said. “It feels good getting in the win column consistently. That’s three in a row, we gotta keep going and building on it. We’re on the road again—but it feels good to win on the road. Just trying to step up, leadership-wise and the defense covered our butts in the second half.”
Eagles Expected to ‘Squeeze’ Young DB Out of Starting Role
It became frighteningly clear after the Philadelphia Eagles fell to the New York Giants Week 6 that Philly can’t keep relying on the combination of Kelee Ringo and Adoree’ Jackson as their outside corners.
Jackson was benched after he struggled in coverage early in the season. In his place, the team turned to Ringo, hoping the 2023 fourth-round pick’s athleticism and upside could help stabilize the position. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened — and with Quinyon Mitchell sidelined by a hamstring injury during the 34–17 loss to New York, things only got worse.
When assessing the NFL landscape after Sunday’s slate of games, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell thinks Ringo’s days as a starter are numbered, and the GM Howie Roseman will be looking to trade for his replacement.
“With the deadline just weeks away and that outside cornerback role across from Mitchell and (Cooper) DeJean continuing to be a liability, would anyone be surprised if the Eagles made a move for a veteran cornerback who could step into the lineup at midseason?” Barnwell wrote on October 13. “I’d expect Roseman to be hitting the phones in search of CB help between now and Nov. 4, which would squeeze Ringo out of a starting role.”
Ringo Hasn’t Turned Into a Consistent CB Since Getting Drafted
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo may be heading to the bench soon.
Drafted in the fourth round in 2023, Ringo played in 17 games as a rookie, starting four. He came on late that year, sealing a memorable Christmas win with his first career interception. He was part of the team’s Super Bowl 59 run the following season, although he spent the bulk of his time playing special teams. Now in Year 3, he has yet to show he can be a capable starter — or even a reliable depth piece at CB — and that’s becoming a legit issue.
Through six games and two starts in 2025, Ringo has 15 solo tackles, one pass breakup, a fumble recovery and zero interceptions. His most recent performance against the Giants was particularly concerning. He had two costly penalties, allowing three catches for 69 yards.
Making matters worse is how thin the Eagles have become at cornerback overall. Injuries have gutted the position. Jakorian Bennett is on injured reserve, Jackson’s benching has left him in a rotational role and Mitchell is now dealing with a hamstring issue. Philadelphia recently signed Tariq Castro-Fields to the practice squad, a move that underscores how few reliable options they have left.
That’s why a trade, as Barnwell suggested, could be the only way Roseman can address the situation, at least in a meaningful way.
More on Why Kelee Ringo Will Likely Be Headed to the Philadelphia Eagles Bench
Ringo is still young — he turned 23 in June — so we’re by no means saying Philly should give up on him entirely. But after dropping two straight, the defending champs can’t afford to be cavalier about the cornerback position.
Roseman will likely be on the lookout for a plug-and-play starter who will bump Ringo down the depth chart and bring stability to the secondary. We’ve pitched Browns Pro Bowler Denzel Ward recently, but Philly has other trade options, including Riq Woolen, Rasul Douglas and Alontae Taylor.
Sitting at 4–2, Philadelphia is still undoubtedly in the NFC title race, but Roseman’s going to have to work some more of his magic to stay in the thick of it.
