Patriots Extend to NFL Best Five-Game Winning Streak After Torching the Top-Ranked Browns Defense

Much to my delight, the Patriots victory over the Cleveland Browns got out of hand pretty early in the third quarter, and once again, it way more Drake Maye magic that led the Patriots to a second consecutive double digit point victory; this time, against one of the best defensive units in the league, on a day where future Hall of Famer Myles Garrett racked up five (5) sacks. Even so, Maye did nearly everything asked of him offensively, and better yet, the Patriots managed to get another good day on the ground off thanks to some really good play design work by Josh McDaniels to get TreVeyon Henderson going for the first time all year.

Defensively, the first drive woes continue, but from there on out, this one went about as expected, with Dillon Gabriel looking....unfortunate to put it lightly. The Christian Barmore situation was odd. There were some not-so-great moments on the special teams front. Still, beyond that, some big performances from guys like Bob Spillane, Christian Gonzalez, and even Jaylinn Hawkins were huge in this win. Still, nothing was out of the ordinary here save for the final score. Let's recap, shall we?

Myles Garrett's Masterclass

Sometimes in life, you have to tip your cap to an opposing player. Take Myles Garrett, for instance, yesterday. Eight total pressures and five sacks, and it wasn't a case of it being all Will Campbell or all Morgan Moses; everyone got bullied!!! Outright doubles, chips, or no help at all, Garrett was undeniable yesterday. I feel a little bad that he's rotting away on a hopeless team, but on the other hand, he willingly signed another extension there this offseason. Regardless, unbelievable game, and Patriots fans should be doing cartwheels over the fact they don't have to deal with him twice a year.

McDaniels Gets Into His Bag for TreVeyon Henderson

The fourth quarter fumble aside (which I am VERY nervous will get him back in the doghouse), I loved how Josh McDaniels got TreVeyon Henderson involved. Some misdirection toss plays, a couple of good inside runs, but they had to give him an honest shot sooner or later, and his ability to generate chunk plays is precisely why he was drafted top 40 to begin with. For all the good Rhamondre Stevenson can give you as a back, he's not getting through the gears and threatening defenses with this kind of speed much.

Henderson wound up as one of four backs league-wide to average 7.5 a carry with 10 or more touches in Week 8, joining the likes of Saquon Barkley, James Cook, and MVP contender Jonathan Taylor. Additionally, he was one of three running backs to have at least seven attempts where he hit 15 mph, joining Cook, as well as Jets bellcow Breece Hall. The fumble in the fourth quarter wasn't great, but this offense has to keep getting him involved. If not for anything else, though, McDaniels gave him some really good opportunities yesterday, and those kinds of plays, especially ones with fullback Jack Westover on the field, should start becoming a staple of this offense if the Patriots want to be a respectable run offense moving forward.

Christian Gonzalez's Best Game

In his fifth game of the season and back from a pre-season hamstring injury, this was the best Christian Gonzalez was, no matter how you slice it. Yards allowed, coverage EPA, passer rating allowed, and catch rate allowed over expected were all season highs, and he did a wide majority of that on Jerry Jeudy, who wound up with the "Tony Snell" statline for the afternoon. He made a few really good PBU's, and I loved the read-and-react downhill trigger he showed on a TFL against Jerome Ford. It's not a coincidence that this team hasn't lost a game with Gonzalez in the lineup with the way the offense is, but this was EASILY Gonzalez's best outing of 2025. Definitely the best he's physically looked all year, too.

Drake Maye Keeps On Keeping On

Despite taking six sacks and over a dozen pressures (and throwing a horrific interception), Drake Maye answered the bell against perhaps the NFL's best pass defense, becoming the first QB to crack 250 passing yards against Cleveland in 2025, and became the second to throw three passing TDs against them, joining Lamar Jackson. Hard to really overstate just how good he's been in his second year, and every week now it feels like we get some anecdote that's along the line of, "Drake Maye is the first to do x since 2007 Brady/2013 Manning/90s Marino, etc.

This week, that note would be that he's just the fifth player in league history to have seven straight games of 200 or more passing yards with a passer rating north of 100. He joins Tom Brady (2007), Aaron Rodgers (2011 and 2020), Peyton Manning (2004), and Patrick Mahomes (2018). Every instance of this has led to that QB winning league MVP, and at this rate, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Maye could tie Rodgers' mark of 12 straight games hitting those benchmarks from his 2011 season. Please do not take this kid and what he's doing this year for granted. Drake Maye is legitimately having one of the best, if not the best, seasons of any QB in the league through eight weeks.

Final Score: New England Patriots 32, Cleveland Browns 13

Gaffney's Three Stars from Patriots-Titans:

1st Star: Drake Maye (18/24 for 282 Yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 7 Rushes for 50 Yards)

2nd Star: Robert Spillane (14 Tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 INT)

3rd Star: Christian Gonzalez (2 Catches Allowed on Five Targets for 3 Yards, 2 PBUs)

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