Patriots Review: Drake Maye Looks Great in Win in Miami

Zak Drapeau
Sep 15
3 min read

by Zak Drapeau 9/15/2025 Sportz Nation

Game Summary

The Patriots won last night in Miami for the first time in 6 years. The game wasn't perfect but it was a great statement win and Drake Maye played perhaps the best game of his career.

After starting the game strong beside two missed extra points, the Dolphins would score 13 unanswered points leading to a Patriots, 3-point lead holding as we entered the 4th quarter.

In a special teams showdown for the 4th, in back-to-back possessions each team would take one to the house. Finally in the scariest moment of the game for Patriots' fans, Andy Borregales would hit a game-winning 53-yard field goal with under 2 minutes to secure the Patriots first win of the season.

The Good

Maye completed 19-of-23 passes for 230 yards, 2 touchdowns and no turnovers. He would also add 31 yards and a touchdown on the ground. His connection with Kayshon Boutte showed again this week from the receivers' lone catch being a beautiful, 16-yard TD. Maye's chemistry with the Tight Ends would also show out and by the end of the day, Maye would give receptions to 9 different receivers again this week.

Other players would step up also as Running Back Rhamondre Stevenson would have a great day rushing and receiving the ball as he led the team in total yards. His fellow backfield-mate Antonio Gibson would also impress especially on special teams, snagging a much needed kick return touchdown.

On defense, Milton Williams would get a pair of sacks toward the end of the game in his first breakout performance for the Pats and Harold Landry and K'Lavon Chaisson would add one each of their own. Jaylinn Hawkins was all over the field again and led his team in tackles. Hawkins would even intercept a pass for the second week in a row but a costly penalty would wipe it from the "ever happening".

The Bad

It wasn't all good this week though and some things really need to be cleaned up still. Rookie Tackle Will Campbell had a worse performance than Week 1 and committed another false start penalty. Campbell held up good in pass pro but had far from a perfect game.

The biggest disappointment has got to be the Kicker Andy Borregales who missed his first two attempts at an extra point yesterday. He would make his next three attempts including 2 field goals but the damage was done after also missing a field goal last week. If Borregales made his kicks the Pats would have won much more comfortably.

The final part I will say did not look good was how the defense played De'Von Achane. The "slippery" Dolphins Running Back had a great game catching passes out of the backfield and was breaking tackles left and right. In a league where receiving backs are in every coach's game plan, the Patriots will need to do better in the future or teams will make them pay.

Looking Ahead

Now at 1-1 and with a divisional game in the win column, the Patriots will come back home and host the Steelers. One of the best rivalries of the 2010s, you may be surprised to hear that the Patriots have won 8 of the last 9 meetings with the Steelers dating back to 2013. In fact, the Steelers haven't won a game in Foxborough since November of 2008.

With both teams have relatively new looks this season and both starting 1-1, this matchup should be highly competitive. The Steelers looked good in Week 1 but their offense collapsed against the Seahawks in Week 2. Not to mention they are allowing an average of 31.5 points per game from their "Top-3 Defense in the League".

The Patriots on the other hand have had success on defense but not continued success. They will have great series followed by series filled with mental errors. In the second half of the Dolphins' game they allowed chunk play after chunk play to Tua, Tyreek and Achane.

This matchup should see the Patriots face the toughest defense of the season so far and REALLY test how far Drake Maye's progression has come. One good piece of news for the Patriots is that the Jets seem to have one of the worst run defenses in the league so far. With Stevenson taking a huge step forward last week, maybe the trio of backs could be the key to sending the Steelers back to Pittsburgh with an L.