Drake Maye rediscovers his best self

It has not been an easy start to the season for the Patriots or Drake Maye, but they have found a way to reignite the hopes of those who never stopped believing. New England’s first three games raised questions about the team and sparked debate over whether the young quarterback was the finished product or simply a breath of fresh air for a single season. Both the trip to Buffalo and Sunday’s emphatic 45-17 win over the Raiders have made one thing clear: we could be watching a generational talent.

BRADY’S INEVITABLE SHADOW

With performances like the one he delivered Sunday at Gillette Stadium, throwing four touchdowns, nearly 400 yards and zero interceptions, Drake Maye is putting his name alongside legends like Tom Brady himself. In fact, he has now matched a feat achieved by Brady, becoming the only Patriots quarterback since the GOAT to throw at least three touchdowns in consecutive games. Brady did it in 2018, and Maye has now done the same against Las Vegas.

Maye had already become the first quarterback to lead the Patriots back to a Super Bowl, and inevitably, as the games and years go by, his name will continue to be linked to Brady’s. That comparison carries enormous weight when you are being measured against the greatest of all time.

Maye’s personality and character could be what keeps those comparisons from becoming a distraction in what promises to be a remarkable career, one that could eventually place him among the greatest quarterbacks ever.

MAYE DELIVERS A MASTERCLASS IN UNFAVORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES

Reaching the level Maye displayed against the Raiders means even more when you consider the defense he faced. Las Vegas had looked nearly unbeatable through the first three weeks of the season. More importantly, the Patriots quarterback was without some of his top receivers, leaving him with fewer familiar targets around him.

These are the situations in which elite talent has to shine brightest. A quarterback must step up, build chemistry with less experienced players and put them in positions to make plays and find the end zone.

New England’s injury list is already extensive, and two more significant names were added in the second quarter. On consecutive plays, TreVeyon Henderson and Will Campbell were ruled out with injuries.

With so much working against him, Maye rose to the occasion against the Raiders. It was his night, and he was not about to let the team’s injury troubles get in the way.

IS IT TOO EARLY OR TOO LATE TO TALK ABOUT MVP?

Only five weeks of the season have been played, and Maye had not been seriously considered for the league’s most prestigious individual award until now. He finished as a finalist last season, coming tantalizingly close to winning it. He fell just five points short of the 366 votes that lifted Matthew Stafford to the top in San Francisco.

Maye may not be able to replicate his performance against the Raiders every week, but Sunday’s showing has reopened the debate over whether he deserves to be recognized as the NFL’s best player this season.

His chances will depend on consistency, something he demonstrated throughout 2025. Team success will also play a major role, and the Patriots are emerging as serious contenders to win the AFC East after beating the Bills on the road at Highmark Stadium just seven days ago.

Winning the division would give Maye a significant boost in the MVP conversation. In another seven days, the Jets will visit Foxborough, giving him another opportunity to prove that he could be the one.

FERNANDO MENDOZA IS READY

It was a night to forget for the Raiders, particularly for Kirk Cousins. After an impressive start to the season, he failed to build on the wins against the Chiefs and struggled even more on the road at Gillette Stadium.

Fernando Mendoza finally got his chance to make his debut when Klint Kubiak pulled Cousins and gave the No. 1 overall pick the final six minutes of the game.

It was an iconic moment, not because of Mendoza’s performance, which would be unfair to judge given the limited playing time, but because of where it happened. At the stadium where Tom Brady became a legend, and on the same field where the Patriots handed the keys to the franchise to Drake Maye a year ago, Mendoza began his own journey as the potential future of the Las Vegas franchise.

The coming days will reveal whether the Raiders are preparing for a changing of the guard at quarterback. Still, there would be something poetic about Mendoza getting the opportunity he deserves in a place as legendary as Foxborough.