The clocks fell. The New England Patriots did not.
A 24-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons followed Sunday at Gillette Stadium, where the closing minutes saw the streak extend to six games.
Here’s a glance
back on the 1 p.m. ET kickoff while head coach Mike Vrabel’s side moves into November with a 7-2 record.
Maye goes from two touchdowns to two turnovers
A smooth start did not end there for Drake Maye. The Patriots quarterback completed 19-of-29 passes for 259 yards with two touchdowns and two turnovers against the Falcons.
Breaking the huddle in “11” personnel, the offense’s opening drive spanned 10 plays and 75 yards. It was capped off by an over-the-shoulder touchdown on a certain slot receiver’s wheel route out of the backfield. A three-and-out followed on the next series. But the chains were soon moved through three conversions to New England’s veteran tight ends, sustaining a drive that produced a 14-7 lead. It soon swelled to 21-7.
Yet with 32 seconds to go before halftime, Atlanta’s first-round pash rush halted the search for more. A strip-sack by Jalon Walker was recovered and returned by James Pearce Jr. to the doorstep. That takeaway gave way to points. The same held true for another.
Maye stood 11-of-15 through the air for 173 yards with both of his touchdown tosses by intermission. Out of the break, versus post-safety coverage, past All-Pro selection Jessie Bates III fielded an sailing interception over the middle like a groundball. Closer things got from there.
Under duress versus a defense that ended daylight savings allowing 275.6 total yards per game, the Patriots went on to endure back-to-back punts. But with the chance to salt away a 24-23 game with 1:53 left to play, the air was turned to. Maye hit fellow captain Hunter Henry for a 17-yard completion up the left sideline on third-and-5.
Douglas hits the century mark for first time
A DeMario Douglas game was on deck.
The aforementioned slot receiver caught four passes for a career-high 100 yards against the Falcons, resetting his long from earlier in the fall with a rumbling, stumbling crossing route that gained 58 yards. That pickup was preceded by an in-stride, 17-yard touchdown with a rookie edge defender chasing a shifty mismatch out of the backfield and down the left sideline.
The depth chart’s eldest statesman hit a milestone, too. Stefon Diggs reached 900 career receptions before halftime at Gillette Stadium, becoming the 29th player in the NFL archives to get there. The 31-year-old got there while fighting for 11 yards on his initial target of the afternoon. His second touchdown in as many weeks was the result.
Fellow Patriots starter Kayshon Boutte was downgraded to out due to a hamstring injury on Sunday. That absence was felt vertically. It left the rest of the position in the hands of veteran Mack Hollins and rookies Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III.
Down Stevenson, backfield forges ahead
A toe issue kept Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined for three consecutive practices before being ruled out on the final injury report. In the absence of the lead running back, a rookie found himself in line for an expanded role.
TreVeyon Henderson got his first career start for the Patriots. The No. 38 overall pick also got himself 39 yards worth of offense on the first possession. Altogether, he handled 14 carries for 55 yards to go with 32 receiving yards versus the Falcons.
Behind the Ohio State product, Florida A&M product Terrell Jennings logged 44 scrimmage yards over the course of a dozen opportunities. The 53-man roster promotion dove in for his first NFL touchdown at the goal line in the second quarter and then dove for a tackle on the ensuing kickoff return.
D’Ernest Johnson, a midweek signing to the practice squad, served as a standard elevation for the depth chart.
Falcons rack up six sacks
A week removed from allowing five sacks to former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, the Falcons continued the trend.
Six sacks were in the cards on Sunday, beginning with steps up in the pocket and into the face of pressure. Atlanta defensive tackles LaCale London and Brandon Dorlus both hit home twice on New England’s quarterback. So did the strip-sacking, bull-rushing, pass-batting Walker off the edge and elsewhere.
Will Campbell and Jared Wilson resided on the left side of an offensive line that kept its starting combination for the eighth time in nine games. Next to the No. 4 overall pick out of LSU and the No. 95 overall pick out of Georgia, there stood Garrett Bradbury at center, Mike Onwenu and right guard and Morgan Moses at right tackle. Stunts remained a problem regardless of experience.
Answering Robinson’s many challenges
What kind of challenges could Bijan Robinson present?
“Many, many,” New England’s head coach told reporters as Sunday’s matchup neared. “I think if there’s any crack, he’s going to test our edge. He’s going to test our wall, and he’s going to test everything we do about having guys swarming to the football. There have been some good defenses that he’s been able to gain yards against. In their three victories, they averaged 186 yards a game on the ground, and it’s not like they’re manufacturing a lot.”
Atlanta’s reigning Pro Bowler rushed for 46 yards across 12 carries and was brought down for an early loss of a handful. The Patriots hadn’t allowed 50 ground yards to a running back this campaign. But he added eight catches out of the backfield to the tune of 50 yards as the afternoon wore on.
Up front, Milton Williams, Christian Barmore and situational fullback Khyiris Tonga started on the defensive line. Harold Landry III and Jahlani Tavai occupied the edges. Off the ball, Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens got the call while linebacker Christian Elliss, who proved effective as a blitzer, was downgraded to out due to a hip injury.
Penix to London becomes a hat-trick
Michael Penix Jr. was back under center for Atlanta after missing one game due to a bone bruise on his knee. The sophomore quarterback completed 22-of-37 passes for 221 yards during the visit to Foxborough. Sacked once by outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson, he found three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Back-to-back punts were how things began. Things changed with the 14 throws sent in the direction of Drake London.
Those passes became nine catches for 118 yards and three touchdowns. The Falcons wide receiver collected a pair of above-the-rim scores against nickelback Marcus Jones, fresh off signing a three-year extension and being named AFC Defensive Player of the Month. He then went one-handed, tapping toes in the end zone against veteran cornerback Carlton Davis III for the hat-trick.
2024 Patriots All-Pro Christian Gonzalez got a hand on three pass breakups, including what had the makings of an interception, before entering the blue medical tent to be evaluated for a head injury in the fourth quarter.
Summer kicking battle returns
Andy Borregales hadn’t missed since the second game of September. That fact stayed intact on Sunday. The rookie Patriots kicker made his lone field goal from 32 yards away and went 3-of-3 on extra points.
It would be a different outcome for his competition in training camp.
Parker Romo, who went from the practice squad to the active roster of the Falcons after being let go at the 53-man roster deadline, pushed wide of the right upright with 4:40 remaining. That missed extra point kept the score at 24-23. Possession would be regained. Even so, Atlanta’s last opportunity came to a close with a fourth-and-20 punt.
