Fans and analysts alike expected the New England Patriots to be much-improved this season, but No. 2 in the AFC standings entering Week 8 goes beyond even the loftiest preseason predictions for Mike Vrabel’s group.
The driving force behind New England’s 5-2 start and current four-game win streak is not the culture-setting head coach, though. It’s the 23-year-old quarterback who flipped a switch in the second half against Buffalo in Week 5, and has performed like the league MVP ever since.
Drake Maye’s precision passing and decision-making has defenses spinning their wheels. The Patriots are attacking all levels of the field with elite efficiency, and their aspirations for this 2025 season should now be through the roof with an obvious cheat code at quarterback.