Patriots' Drake Maye Ready for Heavyweight QB Matchup vs. Bills

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — With the image of their bye week having all but faded from view, the New England Patriots have turned their full attention to their Week 15 showdown with the Buffalo Bills.

Though Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is hesitant to label it as a “hat and t-shirt” game, New England has the chance to clinch their first AFC East division title since 2019 with a victory over Buffalo at Gillette Stadium. To do so, Pats starting quarterback Drake Maye will have to outduel Bills’ All-Pro — and reigning NFL MVP — Josh Allen for the second time this season.

Despite having played against some pretty impressive competition throughout the first 13 games of New England’s 2025 slate, Maye acknowledged the heightened challenge which comes when playing a quarterback of Allen’s caliber.

“It’s a little different when you’re playing the MVP,” Maye recently told WEEI. “One of the best players in the league… Shoot, I hate to say it, but he’s fun to watch when he’s playing. Big fan of him off the field… He’s been great to me.”

New England’s confidence heading into this game should be deservedly high, having already defeated the Bills 23-20 in Week 5. In what many consider to be his entrance into the league’s MVP race, Maye put his abilities on full display, completing 22-of-30 for 273 yards. Still, it was his composure under pressure and late-game leadership that allowed him to make plays down the stretch.

Maye’s seven-play, 37-yard game-winning drive set up rookie kicker Andy Borregales' 52-yard field goal, putting the Pats on top for good. In total, he led five scoring drives for New England against the Bills. All the while, the Pats leaned on their second-year quarterback as he delivered on a national stage.

Conversely, both Allen and the Bills fell victim to fundamental mistakes, while putting forth a relatively below-par performance. Buffalo committed three turnovers, two by Allen — who muffed a handoff to tight end Dawson Knox to end Buffalo’s opening drive, while also being intercepted by Pats cornerback Marcus Jones at New England’s 10-yard-line, with the Bills trailing 13-10. Receiver Keon Coleman committed the other turnover, fumbling the ball at the Bills’ 11-yard line. Overall, Allen finished 22 of 31 for 253 yards and threw touchdown passes to Coleman and receiver Curtis Samuel.

To the Victor Belong the Spoils

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Buffalo Bills. — Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Whereas a Patriots win will officially bring the division back to Foxborough, Maye potentially earning his second victory over Allen may go a long way in helping to determine this season’s league MVP.

Maye, who has been a front-runner for the honor throughout much of the season, has completed 71.5 percent of his passes for 3,412 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. Conversely, Allen has completed his 71.5 percent of his passes for 3,412 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. Though Maye is considered ‘neck-and-neck’ with his primary competition in Los Angeles Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford, it may be his ‘head-to-head’ matchups with Allen which could ultimately tip the scales in his favor, or vice versa.

In the final analysis, the similarity in playing styles between the Pats’ and Bills’ starters is setting the stage for a classic showdown in Foxborough — a point not lost on New England’s head coach.

“I think they're both really good at what they do,” Vrabel said when recently asked to compare the two quarterbacks. “Josh probably has got a couple pounds on him and can kind of throws his shoulder in there probably a little bit more than I would want Drake to, but I think they're both great competitors.

“I have a lot of respect for Josh and just his ability to make something out of nothing,” he added. “I've enjoyed watching Drake's growth here, but I'm not going to say one's a certain way and one's the other. Just a huge challenge going against a quarterback that's under control, he's got command and just doesn't look panicked or rattled when you rush him, or gets them into the right play call, whatever that may be. Just an excellent, obviously, MVP quarterback.”

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