- Every win counts the same. But some wins resonate more through the locker room because of how they unfolded. That’s my top takeaway from the Patriots’ 29-26 win over the Bills. Mike Vrabel’s team responded to adversity multiple times – including being down 26-21 midway through the fourth quarter — which can help build belief. Now the Patriots’ mission is to not give it all back with the surprising 3-1 Raiders coming to town.
- Drake Maye let out one big exhale at the post-game interview podium. That summed things up more than any words could, although him describing what unfolded as “relieving” was also telling. He had been in the storm through the first three games. His ability to navigate the storm against the Bills – with ESPN Research noting he was under pressure a career-high 21 times – was stellar.
- Two things stood out to me about Maye’s performance – his ability to use his legs to escape trouble (the Bills’ D helped that cause) and how he had identical situations to the season’s first three games and didn’t make the same miscues he had been making. The second part is arguably the key to the season, and examples include throwing the ball away on second-and-goal rollout from the 2 when TE Eli Raridon was covered (3Q/9:11 – what he didn’t do against the Jaguars) and leading WR Efton Chism III where only he could catch the ball in the end zone for the game-winning TD (4Q/1:55 – what he didn’t do to Mack Hollins against the Seahawks). The decision-making was cleaned up BIG-TIME and that’s the top story to me more than any coaching adjustments etc.
- Adding TE Hunter Henry into this category after he had called himself out for needing to play better following the Week 3 loss in Jacksonville. In that game, he didn’t lunge to the first-down marker and allowed himself to be tackled short of the line to gain (3Q/14:19) as the game was about to get away from New England. Not this time. With the opportunity to put the game away on third-and-10, Henry looked like a missile on the 12-yard catch-and-run (4Q/:55).
- That’s not to say there aren’t execution-based things to clean up and Maye himself made that point, telling sports radio WEEI that “there’s still some juice left to squeeze.” Maye’s low throw to WR Romeo Doubs at the end of the second quarter – similar to his low throw to WR A.J. Brown in the opener on a similar route — led to an INT. Maye was hard on himself after the game for that play, saying it’s a throw he’s made countless times, going back to youth football. And two quarterback-center exchanges on the ground. Anyone else have Bill Belichick’s voice in the back of their head saying, “I can go to Foxboro High and find someone to do that!”
- Bold, aggressive coaching from Mike Vrabel and his staff. Going 2-of-2 on fourth down helped improve the Patriots to 23-of-31 on fourth down in Vrabel’s tenure, which leads the NFL over that span (start of the 2025 season). Could that let-it-rip mentality have possibly contributed to Maye getting back to being himself and not pressing as much?
- I wrote on how the Patriots successfully neutralized Bills TE Dalton Kincaid, who entered Week 4 with 263 receiving yards (NFL high for TEs) — which included six plays of 20-plus yards. Kincaid finished with one catch for 7 yards. He was targeted just twice. The reason I chose that topic was because it also has relevance to this week’s matchup as the Raiders have TEs Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, who are in many ways the engine that makes their offense go. Mike Vrabel cited “awareness” as a key in the success against Kincaid. They’ll need more of it this week.
- WR Mack Hollins hopped off the field in the third quarter with the team announcing he had a calf injury. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Hollins isn’t on the practice field based on what Mike Vrabel said Monday. If Hollins isn’t available, it leaves Romeo Doubs, Pop Douglas, Efton Chism III and Kyle Williams as heathy receivers, with Kyle Dixon, Cameron Dorner and Chandler Brayboy on the practice squad.
- The team has two open roster spots. I expect one to go to special teams ace Brenden Schooler, who has been practicing the last two weeks and fills a void that showed up Sunday when the team had LB Erick Hunter playing out of position as a gunner on the punt unit. My opinion is that the other would be between OT Marcus Bryant and LB Khalil Jacobs.
- Not-so-silver linings: LT Will Campbell flagged for false start and holding penalties, with more pressure allowed from his side … 21 pressures allowed overall … Kyle Williams (3), Corey Kiner (1) and the kick return unit averaging 25.8 yards per return … LB Christian Elliss perhaps overcompensating for TE Dalton Kincaid on fourth-and-2 and leaving what appeared to be his assignment – RB Ty Johnson – open for a 9-yard gain … CB Charles Woods over-pursuing to contribute to a 51-yard catch-and-run (2Q/3:24) … End-of-second-quarter execution, which was a strength in 2025 but has been a weakness in 2026.
- Silver linings: Another fast start on defense after the Bills won the toss and elected to take the ball, which safety Kevin Byard III said motivated the D … Four special-teams tackles from rookie LB Erick Hunter … WR Romeo Doubs with 2 TDs, the second a one-handed beauty in the right-hand corner of the end zone … WR Efton Chism III in the clutch, with a dazzling one-handed TD catch … OLB Gabe Jacas powering into LT Dion Dawkins and, along with DT Cory Durden, forcing a behind-the-back heave from QB Josh Allen that could have been picked off … LB Christian Elliss’ big hit on TE Dawson Knox (1Q/:35) … RB Rhamondre Sevenson having his path at the goal line cleared by OT Caleb Lomu, LT Will Campbell, LG Elijah Vera-Tucker and FB Reggie Gilliam for a 1-yard TD run for a group that hasn’t consistently moved the line of scrimmage in the run game … Marcus Jones’ 17-yard punt return (2Q/8:35) … CBs tackling and run support, led by Jones, Carlton Davis III and Kindle Vildor.
- The Raiders lead the NFL with nine takeaways. The Patriots are tied for the league lead with 10 giveaways. When looking for places to start dissecting Sunday’s matchup, that’s a good place to start. Take care of the ball … or else you give back all the good vibrations created from what could be a turn-the-season-around victory.