Does Patriots' Drake Maye Have Enough Ice in his Veins to Knock Off Bills?

A great deal of NFL pundits predicted regression for the New England Patriots this season, citing a much harder schedule.

Right now — and sadly for Patriots fans — it’s trending in the presumed poor direction.

But if there’s any comfort to be had, it’s that Drake Maye has managed to play well against the Buffalo Bills, specifically when traveling on the road to face Josh Allen and Co.

And he wasn’t winning in the fashion of a Mac Jones victory where Bill Belichick made his quarterback throw only three times.

Maye will be expected to air it out to win the game, assuming the weather is decent and New England’s run game continues to struggle.

Maye Performing At Buffalo

Dec 22, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs with the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

So far this season, Maye has looked like one of the worst quarterbacks in the league, so some may not believe past stats really matter at this point.

As much as Maye feels the heat of poor performances, however, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels also needs to bear the brunt of offensive woes.

McDaniels will need to inject some creativity to boost Maye’s comfortability against a top defense in northern New York.

The good news is that in his two starts at Buffalo, Maye is 44-of-66 (66.7%) for 534 yards, two TDs and one INT, good for a 95.1 passer rating. He threw for 261 yards and two scores as a rookie in December 2024, then went 22-of-30 for 273 yards with no interceptions in New England’s 23-20 win there in October 2025.

Maye actually did well enough against Sean McDermott’s Cover 2 and Cover 6 coverages in 2024, and more blitz pressures in 2025 didn’t deter Maye as well.

Maye’s legs certainly helped him out last season, and it wouldn’t be surprising if that same logic holds true on Sunday.

But McDermott is gone, and former Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonard is calling the defense.

The Bills haven’t blitzed a lot, only 16.9% of pass plays, because their defensive front has been effectively generating pressure.

That’s what could cause the game to go south for the Patriots and Maye, if the coverage is plentiful and sound, and the offensive line gets wallopped by Buffalo’s d-line with no extra rushers.

Previous, Assumed Playmakers To Help Maye

Dec 14, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) reacts after a play against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Maye’s previous success in Buffalo has come with help from his pass catchers.

During the Patriots’ 23-20 win at Buffalo last season, Stefon Diggs accounted for 146 of those yards on 10 receptions, while Hunter Henry and Kayshon Boutte combined for another 89 yards.

A year earlier, Boutte led New England with 95 receiving yards and a touchdown during Maye’s 261-yard performance at Buffalo.

Neither Diggs nor Boutte is around this time, and A.J. Brown is out with the high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 1.

So, it will be any of Mack Hollins, Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas and Henry that will need to surface as a reliable chain-mover.

Hollins has emerged as New England’s leading receiver through three games with 156 yards, including six catches for 87 yards against Jacksonville.

Doubs has demonstrated a bit of the explosiveness, turning six catches into 145 yards, and Henry is one of Maye’s most trusted options over the middle dating back to the quarterback’s initial NFL starts.

Unfortunately, most of these players didn’t stick out when the Patriots faced a Denver defense featuring Leonhard on its staff in last season’s AFC Championship Game, as the Broncos held Maye to just 86 passing yards while sacking him five times.

Hollins did emerge as legitimate, though, versus Denver. He hauled in both of his targets for a team-high 51 yards. His 31-yard reception was New England’s longest completion of the game.

But can Hollins do it on his own?

If he’s the only pass catcher that sticks out, Maye’s running ability and a sturdy Patriots defense will be necessary to leave Buffalo with a victory.

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