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The Patriots are 5-2 after a dominant 31-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Drake Maye dazzled and continued to build chemistry with Kayshon Boutte, New England’s run game returned and Mike Vrabel beat his former Titans team in his return to Tennessee after getting fired by the team in 2024. The Patriots improved to 5-2 and remain atop the AFC East standings. Here’s what’s being said about New England’s Week 7 win. ESPN “The Patriots’ running game, led by Rhamondre Stevenson and an offensive line that had talked about finishing its blocks longer this week, had its best day of the season with 175 rushing yards (4.9 yards per carry). New England entered the day ranked 27th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (91.5) and tied for 30th in average yards per carry (3.5).” Bleacher Report “While Drake Maye is budding superstar (more on him in a bit), the Patriots’ quarterback is getting help from an emerging supporting cast. “The belief in Rhamondre Stevenson as the team’s RB1 paid off for New England’s coaching staff. The group would have been validated in benching the ball-carrier after too many fumbles. “Instead, head coach Mike Vrabel stuck with Stevenson, who rewarded the squad with an 18-carry, 88-yard performance against the Tennessee Titans. “Stefon Diggs already emerged as a No. 1 target. He caught a team-leading seven passes Sunday for 69 yards. Fellow wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is now a legitimate vertical threat that defenses must address. “The Patriots are finally maximizing the talent on their roster.” CBS Sports With Mike Vrabel returning to Tennessee, the Patriots made sure their coach was able to get revenge on his old team. When Vrabel was with the Titans, he never had a franchise QB, but he has one in New England with Drake Maye, and Maye went off, completing a franchise-record 91.3% of his passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Of course, Vrabel is a defensive-minded coach, so the thing that he probably liked the most about this win was the way his defense dominated and that starts with K’Lavon Chaisson. “Not only did he get two of New England’s five sacks, but he also returned a fumble for a touchdown. The Patriots are now 4-0 on the road this year and Vrabel has them looking like a serious playoff contender. This team might even be able to end the Bills’ reign atop the AFC East.” NFL “Patriots second-year quarterback Drake Maye has been on a heater and compiled another fantastic outing in Nashville on Sunday, completing 21 of 23 passes that included some beautifully layered passes, perfectly placed and timed tosses and his latest majestic touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte . “Perhaps even more impressive, Maye took a hard hit to the back of his head, exited briefly and then returned in time to toss a touchdown pass to Austin Hooper that capped a key 11-play, 93-yard touchdown drive to tie things up at 10. Maye rolled from there, directing a well-balanced offense that acted like a boa constrictor in the second half, squeezing the life out of the Titans and earning yet another win for these ascending Patriots.” Sports Illustrated “If you’re expecting New England to start faltering, you could be waiting a while. The Patriots have the two-win Browns next week before hosting the Falcons. After that, a road date with the Buccaneers before hosting the winless Jets. The Giants, Dolphins and Jets (again) remain on the slate, along with the Flacco-led Bengals. It’s a path to being very competitive to not only reach the postseason, but perhaps host a game or two once there.” The Ringer “Before Sunday’s game, Vrabel had downplayed the significance of the Week 7 revenge subplot. “We’re not trying to win one for the Gipper here,” the first-year Patriots coach said. (Mike, none of your players know this reference.) “But Vrabel is probably right—mostly because the Patriots are currently playing for prizes better than revenge. After the win against the Titans, New England is 5-2, in first place in the AFC East, and on a four-game winning streak. Drake Maye, whose 21-for-23 passing day set a Patriots record for completion percentage in a game with at least 20 attempts—a relatively trivial accomplishment until you remember that the previous record holder was Tom Brady—is blossoming as a second-year quarterback. “It’s still early in the season, and New England has had the benefit of an easy schedule, but the Patriots are currently barreling toward the playoffs, and Vrabel is in what looks like a two-man race with Shane Steichen for Coach of the Year.” FOX Sports “There are other stars across the league who are in the early-season mix for MVP. The Bucs’ Baker Mayfield is one. The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, who has caught fire over the past few weeks, is another. Falcons superstar running back Bijan Robinson, who entered Week 7 leading the NFL with 822 scrimmage yards, is a front-runner among non-quarterback options. “But Maye is a burgeoning superstar, and his rapid growth is impossible to ignore.” USA TODAY “Drake Maye and the first-place New England Patriots are quickly making their fans forget about Tom Brady. (Just checking that those of you who have read this far are still paying close attention.) But Maye did eclipse one of TB12’s team records Sunday, connecting on 21 of 23 passes for a 91.3% completion rate, best in team history.”
