How Did Drake Maye Rescue The New England Patriots When Their Top Playmakers Were Missing?

Drake Maye led the New England Patriots past the Miami Dolphins 24-19, even without his top receivers.© Image via: X/@danfetes

Most quarterbacks would have blamed the injury report. Drake Maye chose to ignore it. On Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, the New England Patriots quarterback played without A.J. Brown, Mack Hollins and TreVeyon Henderson, then watched the Miami Dolphins build a 13-3 halftime lead. He answered with two touchdown passes, one rushing score and a calm that changed the game. The New England Patriots rallied to win 24-19, moved to 5-3 and sent the Dolphins to 1-6. See how Maye and coach Mike Vrabel turned a rough first half into a statement win.

How Drake Maye And The New England Patriots Flipped The Game Against The Miami Dolphins

The first half belonged to Miami. Quarterback Malik Willis steered an 11-play, 70-yard drive before the break, and Malik Washington finished it with a 1-yard touchdown catch. Kicker Zane Gonzalez added field goals from 31 and 52 yards. New England looked out of rhythm, and Miami coach Jeff Hafley later admitted his team missed a chance to put the game away.

Then the Patriots settled down. Maye did not need a miracle. He needed patience.

“We knew that once we settle in and get some drives together,” Maye said, “we had a chance of getting some points on the board.”

All smiles from Drake Maye after the game! ( @Patriots) https://t.co/lTBwmcdqKi

— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) November 2, 2026

They did. Maye lofted a 43-yard touchdown to Kyle Williams, though officials first ruled the pass incomplete. Vrabel threw the red flag, and replay proved him right. “I was a lot more certain than the officials were the first time they called it,” Vrabel said. Maye then faked a pitch to Rhamondre Stevenson and ran in from 2 yards out for a 17-13 lead. It marked his fifth straight game with at least three total touchdowns. DeMario Douglas stretched the margin with a 48-yard catch and run early in the fourth. He finished with three catches for 76 yards, while Stevenson piled up 82 yards on 19 carries.

Mike Vrabel Praises Drake Maye As The New England Patriots Prepare For The Green Bay Packers

Vrabel made no effort to hide his pride after the final whistle.

“(If) you want to be a great quarterback in the National Football League, there's not a whole lot of excuses,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said about Maye's performance. “You go out there and find ways to win for your football team. That's who he is and that's what he wants to continue to be.”

Maye completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards with a thin group of receivers around him. Miami still made it tense. Willis found rookie Kevin Coleman Jr. from 35 yards with two minutes left, but the Dolphins missed the two-point try. Stevenson then recovered the onside kick, and New England kept the ball from there. Willis ended with 211 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and five sacks.

Trouble lingers, though. Tight end Hunter Henry (foot) and linebacker Gabe Jacas (knee) both left and never returned. The offense is already short on playmakers, so those injuries matter. The New England Patriots host the Green Bay Packers next Sunday, and the Miami Dolphins welcome the Detroit Lions.