The New England Patriots shined bright on Monday Night Football.
New England took care of business in their matchup with the New York Giants — laying down a pretty significant beating on their way to a 33-15 victory that has them within one game of winning the AFC East.
I’ve got your takeaways:
M! V! P!
Drake Maye is the 2025 NFL MVP.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor essentially unlocked the door for him with their unfortunate performances on Sunday, and the sophomore quarterback kicked the thing off its hinges on Monday.
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Maye finished with 282 passing yards and two touchdowns — bringing his yearly total to 3,412 and 23, respectively. Maye leads the NFL in passing yards, completion percentage (71.5%) and quarterback rating (112.3) — with the club’s impending division title all that is left to essentially seal the race in his favor.
If you haven’t gotten your tickets in now, it might be too late.
BABY STEPS
Maye’s early struggles have been a major theme throughout this series, but there have been slow improvements.
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Maye put together his best opening drive performance of the season, which was aided by a heavy dose of Rhamondre Stevenson and quick concepts for Stefon Diggs and TreVeyon Henderson.
New England knows it can’t afford to play from behind, and is helping the second-year signal-caller settle in through schemed targets and an improving running game. Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels deserve a ton of credit for their role in that growth.
FAST AND PHYSICAL
The Patriots lost two key attributes during their years-long playoff drought— speed and physicality.
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TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams have brought that speed element, having already been clocked as the franchise’s second- and third-fastest players since NextGenStats were introduced in 2018. Harold Landry III and Christian Elliss added the physicality on Monday — as both laid tremendous hits on Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Elliss then added another bone-rattling hit to old friend Gunner Olszewski — knocking him out of the game and the logo off of his helmet.
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It’s been a while since this team looked this good, and it starts with being fast and physical.
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Williams hasn’t been the most efficient wide receiver on the team, but his raw talent has always been tantalizing enough for people to clamor for more playing time and more targets for the rookie.
The Patriots finally got him involved in the vertical passing game, and were rewarded with a wonderful touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone. Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas have both come a long way and continue to develop nicely, and suddenly the young talent in that receiver room isn’t anything to shake a stick at.
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*insert Paul Rudd gif*
TAKE THEIR WILL
Giants linebacker Brian Burns refused to return to the locker room at halftime.
If that isn’t taking someone’s will, then I don’t know what is…
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OLD FRENEMY
Cam Achord spent several seasons coaching the special teams units at One Patriot Place — none of which were particularly successful.
Achord was so bad in his role, in fact, that Bill Belichick — one of the most loyal people in professional football — cut him loose following back-to-back bottom-five finishes from his unit in 2022 and 2023.
The Giants ignored the signs and added them to their staff last season, and had everything come back to bite them in the behind on Monday — where their special teams unit was burned by three explosive returns, including another punt return touchdown by Marcus Jones, and whatever this was…
Achord might never again want to step foot in Gillette Stadium.
THE RIGHT ROTATION
Rhamondre Stevenson still gives this team the best chance to stay ahead of the chains of anyone in the running back room, and reminded us all of that fact on Monday.
Stevenson and Henderson didn’t light the world on fire — combining for 167 total yards on 29 touches — but they found their footing within the rotation. Stevenson got the bulk of the carries early in the game. Henderson contributed in the passing game and provided a change of pace.
The Patriots still need to figure things out down in the red zone — but they’re able to run the ball pretty effectively in the middle third of the field, which was one of the only major questions remaining entering December.
Featured image via David Butler II/Imagn Images
