The NFL’s last unbeaten road team remained that way at M&T Bank Stadium.
The New England Patriots battled back to defeat the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 28-24 on Sunday night, clinching a 12-3 record
and an AFC playoff berth in the process.
Here’s a glance back on the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.
Maye digs deep for career-high 380 passing yards
A Sunday removed from seeing a 10-game winning streak come to an end, there was a response.
Drake Maye completed 31-of-44 passes for a career-high 380 yards against the Ravens. The Patriots quarterback did so while tossing two touchdowns, one interception and losing one fumble. A gut-it-out performance.
Taking the field in “11” personnel, the opening drive spanned 10 plays, 45 yards as well as a fourth-and-1 QB run. Yet it ended in an escape as well as an interception by cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was the intended target on the third-and-14 pick in the red zone.
Next time out, a rollout touchdown toss to Hunter Henry arrived after a 26-yard, back-shoulder to fellow tight end Austin Hooper got the visitors to the goal line. That capped off a 10-play, 65-yard surge to tie things at 7-7. And by halftime in Baltimore, the score read 10-10 as the 23-year-old MVP candidate had been strip-sacked while in range for a field goal.
A three-and-out was the reality out of intermission. So was a third-and-2 deep shot to no avail as New England settled for a 13-10 lead that wouldn’t last. Maye, who later fell on botched handoff, kept chipping away down 24-13 on the heels of a failed fake punt with consequences.
With 9:01 left to go, a pinpoint go-ball throw over the shoulders of rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams became a 37-yard touchdown down the right sideline. No defensive pass interference was called against the Ravens with 3:19 left. And while that ended a streak of nine consecutive completions by No. 10, it didn’t end the search for the organization’s first playoff berth since 2021.
After three quiet games, Diggs makes noise
Stefon Diggs had been held under 30 receiving yards in three consecutive games while averaging 48.5 percent of the offensive snaps. On Sunday, he came down with 25 yards during his initial catch — a deep over route through contact that resulted in a visit to the blue medical tent.
The past All-Pro fought out of it to catch a team-high nine passes for 138 yards altogether against the Ravens. He accounted for 23-yard and a 33-yard conversions in the middle of the field on third down. A fourth-and-2 wound up as a 21-yard conversion in the closing minutes, too, on a night featuring 10 targets.
Fellow elder statesman Mack Hollins handled seven catches for 69 yards out wide, including critical grabs of 20 and 21, while the speedy rookie from Washington State posted the longest connection of the night for New England.
Backfield in Stevenson’s hands
TreVeyon Henderson recently became the third rookie in NFL history to amass four rushing touchdowns of 50-or-more yards. But the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month had his evening end with a dozen yards from scrimmage against the Ravens.
As halftime approached, the No. 38 overall pick from Ohio State was helped to the sideline after getting taken down by Ravens safety Alohi Gilman. A walk to the locker room followed. So did a questionable designation because of a head injury. He’d be downgraded to out.
That put the running back room in Rhamondre Stevenson’s hands. The starter went on to rush for 51 yards and receive for 27 yards over the course of 10 touches. Tackles were broken on a catch, cut and collision that netted 23 in the flat. A two-point conversion was notched before game’s end. And on a display of patience behind developing blocks, so was a 21-yard touchdown with 2:07 remaining to give the Patriots a 28-24 lead.
Offensive line forced to play musical chairs
Baltimore’s defense stood with 40 sacks on the campaign. That tally would stand at 43 by the end of Sunday.
Defensive end Dre’Mont Jones and safety Ar’Darius Washington hit home on the Patriots’ 23-year-old quarterback. Linebacker Trenton Simpson, too, on a push out of bounds.
At left tackle, Vederian Lowe started his third consecutive game in the absence of No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell. It’d be No. 95 overall pick Jared Wilson at left guard, ironman Garrett Bradbury at center and fellow veterans Mike Onwenu and Morgan Moses on the right side of the offensive line.
The bookends got beat quickly en route to an interception on the first series, but New England’s starting five survived additional sudden changes.
Thayer Munford Jr. reported as eligible early on once again. The sixth man, re-signed off the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns in November, had to kick in before the first quarter closes and limped off prior to halftime with a knee injury. That was after team’s 34-year-old incumbent right tackle was announced as questionable because of a knee injury and ultimately returned.
The attrition led to backup guard Ben Brown becoming the jumbo tight end in heavy looks, while 2024 draft pick Caedan Wallace rounded out the available options with rookie Marcus Bryant a healthy scratch 90 minutes before kickoff.
Huntley steps in for No. 8
Lamar Jackson was off and running. Starting with a first down on the first snap, it took five plays, 65 yards and 2:39 of game clock to make it a 7-0 game. The Ravens quarterback did not have a pass hit the grass in the first quarter. And after a three-and-out got the second quarter going, the home offense went into halftime 4-of-6 on third down.
Yet also with a back injury sustained by No. 8 shortly before the break. Downgraded to out, he finished 7-of-10 passing for 101 yards.
In relief, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley went 9-of-10 for 65 yards through the air and was sacked by veteran edge defender Anfernee Jennings. The lead was retaken by Baltimore on an 18-yard, end-around touchdown run via wide receiver Zay Flowers. The Boston College product fumbled after making his seventh catch, however, with outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson pursuing and punching the football loose.
Nickelback and captain Marcus Jones was there to recover. It stood as the second forced fumble of the game for New England. Starting safety Jaylinn Hawkins got the previous as rookie defensive snap leader Craig Woodson landed on it.
Henry scores twice against reeling run defense
AFC North football awaited Mike Vrabel’s Patriots on the first night of winter. So did a former NFL Offensive Player of the Year that the head coach knows well.
Only it would take more than familiarity to keep Derrick Henry from becoming a 6-foot-2, 252-pound runaway train. The Ravens running back rushed for 128 yards across 18 carries, capping off the opening series with an RPO touchdown from 21 yards away and scoring his second touchdown in the final frame. In between came a lost fumble.
New England began the campaign by not allowing an opposing back to reach 50 yards on the ground until Week 10. But with defensive tackle Milton Williams on injured reserve and linebacker Robert Spillane ruled out, results have shifted.
Christian Barmore, Cory Durden as well as Joshua Farmer and Khyiris Tonga, who suffered respective hamstring and foot injuries, started along the defensive line. Harold Landry III occupied the edge. And off the ball, Jack Gibbens, Christian Elliss and Jahlani Tavai got the call.
In all, 171 rushing yards were amassed by Baltimore over the course of 33 attempts. The run defense from Foxborough entered Sunday ranked No. 5 around the league in yards allowed per game, yet No. 23 since late November.
Kickoff coverage takes its touchbacks
It was “back to the drawing board” for special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer after the Buffalo Bills averaged 41 yards per kickoff return against his coverage unit last week.
Baltimore’s average starting field position off the right foot of Andy Borregales was the 33-yard line. The rookie kicker launched four touchbacks before targeting the landing zone on his final pair.
He also converted on 2-of-2 field goals and 2-of-2 extra points in primetime, splitting the uprights from 45 and 41 yards away.
