By Robert Marvi

Copyright newsweek

Virtually no one thought the New England Patriots would be competitive this season. But five weeks in, they hold a 3-2 record and are coming off an eyebrow-raising 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Quarterback Drake Maye is slowly but surely looking like the franchise signal-caller the Patriots have been looking for ever since the legendary Tom Brady left following the 2019 season. While he didn’t throw a single touchdown pass versus Buffalo, he completed 22 of 30 passing attempts and ended up with 273 passing yards and no interceptions.

So far this year, Maye has completed 73.9% of his pass attempts, which is second in the NFL, and he has thrown for 1,261 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions, and he also has 110 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Teammate Stefon Diggs can’t help but express how impressed he is with Maye after Maye went up against Josh Allen, a player the University of North Carolina product has been compared to.

“It’s a hell of a comparison to be compared to Josh Allen. But as you come into your own, Drake Maye has to be Drake Maye. I was just so proud of him, coming in here and leading a team.”

Stefon Diggs on Drake Maye:“It’s a hell of a comparison to be compared to Josh Allen. But as you come into your own, Drake Maye has to be Drake Maye. I was just so proud of him, coming in here and leading a team.”–@CLNSMedia pic.twitter.com/noO686Qpug— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) October 6, 2025

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Maye started out last season as a rookie on the sideline behind Jacoby Brissett. But he was given the starting job in Week 6, and while he wasn’t dazzling, he did some promise as the season wore on.

So far this year, he has posted over a 100 passer rating in four of five games, and he’s starting to look like a steadying presence for a rebuilding Patriots team that has been in the wilderness for a little while.

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 28: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots huddles with teammates during the NFL 2025 game between Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

He has been aided by Diggs, the veteran four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who is leading New England with 29 catches and 359 receiving yards through five games. Tight end Hunter Henry has contributed 250 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and third-year wideout Kayshon Boutte is showing spark with 208 yards and one touchdown.

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A big positive for the Patriots is the fact that they will have a manageable schedule the rest of the way. Between now and the regular season, they will face only two teams that seem like a lock right now to make the playoffs: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10 and the Bills again on Dec. 14.

For more on the Patriots and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.