Kicking off
Week 16 saw the Patriots clinch a playoff spot.
That used to be a given when Tom Brady made his home in New England. Since his departure, not so much.
After back-to-back four-win seasons, and a four-year drought, the Patriots punched their ticket to the postseason in fine fashion.
They overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit, with Drake Maye authoring two masterful scoring drives in the final quarter to secure the victory.
It was Maye's crowning moment, and signature win.
It was also an important stepping stone for the second-year quarterback. It marked his first comeback win, solidifying his teammates belief in him.
While they had faith he could deliver in that scenario, making it happen in such spectacular fashion on the road strengthened their belief.
In the playoffs, down two scores in the fourth quarter, the Patriots will be buoyed by the knowledge their quarterback can lead them back.
“Having him on our side, we know we have a chance,” tight end Hunter Henry said. “He’s a high-level player. A big-time player. We have the utmost confidence in him.”
That kind of belief in a quarterback is a powerful tool for any team. We saw it during Brady's unprecedented run. Now it's Maye's turn to see where that can take the the Patriots.
Here's some clips from the week:
