Drake Maye Mastery Gives Patriots Halftime Lead Over Bills

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots (11-2) entered Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season with a chance to bring home the AFC East division title. Should they secure a win, they will accomplish a feat that has eluded them since 2019.

The Pats currently hold a two-game lead over the Buffalo Bills (9-4), who also enter Week 15 with an extra spring in their step. The Pats' divisional foes from western New York earned a Week 14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, their ninth victory of the season. Accordingly, the stage is now set for a showdown with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium — with the AFC East on the line. The Pats will clinch a division title if they defeat Buffalo in what has become a “hat and t-shirt” game in Foxborough.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has looked every bit the part of an MVP candidate, having completed 9-of-11 passes for 108 yards with two rushing touchdowns, thus far. The Bills remain hopeful to turn the tide as they are set to have the ball to begin the second half.

Head coach Mike Vrabel has placed his perfect 6-0 record when coaching a team following its bye week on the line. In that vein, here is a look at the action from the first half from Foxborough, where the Pats hold a 24-7 lead.

First Quarter: Patriots Strike First

The Patriots channeled their inner “Cobra Kai” by striking first in Week 15 on an eight-play, 73-yard drive led by Maye and running back Rhamondre Stevenson. New England’s veteran rusher carried the ball three times for 27 yards, helping to move the Pats in key situations. The drive was highlighted by a beautifully thrown deep ball from Maye to receiver Kayshon Boutte, who made an equally impressive grab for 30 yards. The Patriots starter capped the series with a designed run on an option in which Maye — off a textbook block from Boutte — sprang free for an eight-yard touchdown run.

.@DrakeMaye2 caps a 🔥 first drive#ProBowlVote | #NEPats

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/HXOwMV35E9
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 14, 2025

New England closed the quarter in the same manner in which they opened it. Maye began the Pats’ third offensive drive of the period with a 17-yard scramble, bringing the capacity crowd at Gillette Stadium to its feet. The series was highlighted by a bit of patented trickery from coordinator Josh McDaniels, in which Maye completed a lateral to Stevenson, who returned the ball to his quarterback in the same fashion. The UNC product then found his fellow Tar Heel alumnus Mack Hollins for a 13-yard gain. Maye once again put an exclamation point on the six-play, 50-yard drive with a seven-yard run directly up the middle for the score — giving the Patriots a 14-0 lead.

Second Quarter: TreVeyon Henderson Comes Alive

Dec 14, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots running back Treveyon Henderson (32) greets players during warm up before the start of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

New England earned its third rushing touchdown of the day on an explosive 52-yard scoring run by rookie rusher TreVeyon Henderson. The eight-play, 94-yard drive was highlighted by an 18-yard completion from Maye to Hollins. On the ensuing snap, the Pats' offensive line — employing an extra lineman in Thayer Munford Jr. — helped open a path which allowed Henderson to run more than half the length of the gridiron for the touchdown and a Pats 21-0 lead.

Though little else has gone right for the Bills on the afternoon, they would not allow the Patriots to take a shutout lead into halftime. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen led his team on a seven-play, 42-yard drive — highlighted by a 19-yard completion to tight end Dawson Knox. Allen tossed a short, five-yard pass to running back James Cook for the score, cutting the Pats' lead to 21-7.

The Patriots, however, would take the final points of the half, as Maye brought his team 25 yards on three plays before rookie kicker Andres Borregales aligned for a 36-yard field goal. With the successful kick, the Pats took a 24-7 lead — potentially halfway toward a division title.

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