The Patriots are playoff bound.
New England clinched a playoff berth on Sunday night with a 28-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
Drake Maye helped lead a fourth-quarter comeback down 11 with 12:50 to play when he put together two scoring drives to get the Patriots back in the win column.
It marks the first time the Patriots will play in the playoffs since 2021.
Here’s what’s being said about the victory.
ESPN
“The Patriots were one-dimensional on offense, favoring the pass, and Maye was mostly up to the task to record his first career 300-yard passing game (380) despite facing heavy pressure. He led a fourth-quarter comeback one week after failing to do so against the Bills, which he called the elephant in the room. But Maye had two turnovers — an interception that ended the team’s first drive, when WR Kayshon Boutte wasn’t competitive at the top of the route, and a lost fumble that cost the team a chance at a field goal before halftime. The Patriots entered Sunday 1-6 in games in which Maye had two turnovers.”
Bleacher Report
“Drake Maye’s MVP Buzz Should Be Louder
“Coming off a loss and a subpar passing performance against the Buffalo Bills, Maye bounced back with a strong outing on the road in Baltimore.
“He threw for 380 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, which included a crucial fourth-down conversion late in the final quarter to keep the game-winning drive alive, followed by a pass completion for a two-point conversion.
“Maye shrugged off an early turnover and led New England to a comeback victory that keeps the club in a position to win the AFC East and potentially claim home-field advantage in the playoffs.
“It’s fitting that he finished the game with a slide to secure the Patriots’ playoff spot. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has a case for MVP, but Maye is leading a team with a slightly better record and is currently perfect on the road.”
CBS Sports
“The Drake Maye MVP train is back on the track. After struggling against the Bills last week, Maye bounced back with the first 300-yard performance of his career. The Patriots’ rookie QB, who threw for 380 yards, had his way with the Ravens defense. Maye dissected Baltimore’s secondary and he was at his best during a fourth quarter where he went 12 of 14 for 139 yards and a TD. Stefon Diggs, who had been pretty quiet over the past month, exploded for nine catches for 138 yards. The Patriots struggled to stop Derrick Henry, but the defense more than made up for that by forcing two turnovers, including a game-clinching fumble recovery by Marcus Jones. This was a good test for Maye and the Patriots (12-3) and their reward for passing it is the fact that New England has now clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2021.”
NFL
“Following 16 rather agonizing weeks last season, the Patriots were 3-12. Enter Mike Vrabel as head coach and Drake Maye with another season under his belt. New England now has reversed its record, leaving Week 16 at 12-3 and its first playoff berth since 2021. It’s truly remarkable how quickly Vrabel has transformed the Patriots and Maye has ascended into an MVP candidate — and one of the elite QBs in the NFL. The team has been a splendid mix of young talent and impressive veterans. Rookie Kyle Williams had the game-changing 37-yard fourth quarter TD. Veteran wideout Stefon Diggs had games highs of nine receptions and 138 yards receiving.
“Longtime Pats back Rhamondre Stevenson scored the game-winning TD on a winding 21-yard TD run. And in one of the more overlooked comeback tales in the league, Jaguars 2020 first-round bust K’Lavon Chaisson , on his third team in three seasons, is having his best campaign, which now includes forcing a game-sealing fumble with 1:57 to go. With two weeks left in the season, New England is vying for its first AFC East title since those Belichick and Brady fellas were in Boston, and the Pats still have a shot at claiming the conference’s top seed. There’s plenty more to accomplish and prove, but especially after earning a hard-fought win over a Ravens team that has so long been an AFC power, this game and this season feel like the arrival of new blood in the AFC, even if it’s with a very familiar franchise.”
USA TODAY
“A Lamar Jackson injury? An offense undone by turnovers? And a defense that can’t hold firm when it counts? In a 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots, the Ravens played all the hits while speed-running a season collapse. Maybe Jackson’s exit with a back injury spelled doom for Baltimore’s playoff hopes, which now hinge on both a win on Saturday over the Green Bay Packers as well as a Steelers loss to the Cleveland Browns next Sunday. But John Harbaugh’s crew is not merely the victim of circumstance, as there are no excuses for a team that trips itself up with this frequency.”
The Athletic
“So, you’d think, a playoff berth clinched and a 12-3 record courtesy of a thrilling come-from-behind win would elicit some well-deserved partying. If not champagne, at least some loud music and extra hugs.
“Instead, the scene Sunday night after a riveting game felt like business as usual. An 11th win in their last 12 games? A 7-0 record on the road this season? An MVP candidate at quarterback? Ho-hum.
“Aspects of this win perfectly encapsulate how Vrabel has pulled off the unthinkable, taking the Patriots from the cellar of the NFL standings to the playoffs before Week 17 even begins. Entering Sunday, only eight teams had generated fewer turnovers than the Patriots’ defense. So before such an important game against a usually well-coached team, he stressed the importance of ball disruption.”
