Patriots Extend Win Streak to Six with Thrilling 24-23 Victory Over Falcons

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The New England Patriots extended their winning streak to six games with a nail-biting 24-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium, marking their longest winning streak since a seven-game run during the 2021 season.

In a game that came down to the wire, the Patriots held off a late Falcons rally to improve their record and maintain their perfect home record against Atlanta. Quarterback Drake Maye continued his historic rookie season, while wide receiver DeMario Douglas broke out with his first career 100-yard receiving game.

“It’s a funny league, and we’re going to learn from winning, so that we don’t have to learn from losing,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said after the game. “Give our guys credit for finishing and coming up big when we had to in the fourth quarter.”

Maye Makes History with Eighth Straight 100-Plus Passer Rating

Drake Maye delivered another stellar performance, finishing 19-of-29 for 259 yards and two touchdowns with a 102.5 passer rating. The rookie quarterback extended his streak to eight consecutive games with a passer rating over 100.0, tying the Patriots franchise record set by Tom Brady in both 2007 and 2010.

Maye became the first player under the age of 24 and just the fourth player in NFL history to record at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in eight consecutive games. He joins elite company with Aaron Rodgers (12 consecutive games in 2011 and eight in 2020), Tom Brady (eight in 2007), and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (eight in 2004).

Despite the historic achievement, Maye remained focused on areas for improvement after committing two turnovers.

“First, I’ve just got to play better. I’ve got to play better for this team down the road,” Maye said. “It’s tough in a game where you win and you can feel in that locker room that these guys know we can play better. I think it’s a good feeling to have, but also at the same time it’s tough to win in this league, so you’ve got to enjoy it.”

Maye also connected on a career-long 58-yard pass to Douglas in the second quarter, his third 50-yard completion of the season. He now has seven games in 2025 with at least two touchdown passes.

The rookie quarterback also took time to honor Salute to Service week, dedicating his performance to fallen Marine Captain Jack Casey, whose initials “JC” were displayed on the back of Maye’s helmet.

“This week in the NFL, it’s cool to honor those who serve in our country,” Maye said. “They put their lives on the line, man. They’re the true heroes, and it’s bigger than football.”

Douglas Delivers Career Performance

Wide receiver DeMario Douglas set a career high with his first 100-yard receiving game, finishing with four receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown. His previous career best was 92 yards receiving against Houston on October 13, 2024.

Douglas caught a 58-yard pass from Maye in the second quarter, marking his second 50-yard reception of the 2025 season and the second of his career. He also hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Maye on the Patriots’ opening drive, capping a 10-play, 75-yard march that gave New England an early 7-0 lead.

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“We’ve got to keep finding Pop,” Vrabel said, using Douglas’s nickname. “I love having him on the team. He’s fun to coach. He sits right up front, and he’s always into it. Great teammate, so always happy for his success.”

Douglas was emotional after the game, dedicating his performance to a close friend who passed away the day before.

“It’s a blessing, man. I’ve been trying to get it, trying to get it in New Orleans and that kind of went away. But definitely feels good and definitely getting it with the win, that makes it better,” Douglas said of his first 100-yard game.

On his 58-yard reception, Douglas showed his trademark toughness: “I stay stumbling. I don’t know what it is. I thought he was closer, but he wasn’t. So, I hit my knee, got up, and I started stumbling from there. Then I saw the dude in my peripheral, so I just lowered the shoulder.”

Douglas also paid tribute to the Jack Casey family before discussing his performance: “Before I answer that though, I want to give a shout out to the Jack Casey family. I was reading it before the game, and he loved the Patriots. I want to say a shout out to that family because I know it’s hard. I lost somebody yesterday, and I feel their pain. It’s definitely hard.”

Diggs Reaches 900 Career Receptions

Veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs reached a significant career milestone, becoming the 29th NFL player to record 900 career receptions. Diggs hit the mark on his 11-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, reaching the milestone in his 153rd career game—tied with Julio Jones for the fifth-fewest games to reach 900 career receptions.

Only Keenan Allen (139 games), Antonio Brown (143), Marvin Harrison (149), and Andre Johnson (150) reached the milestone faster.

Diggs finished the game with three receptions for 38 yards and the touchdown, providing veteran leadership and clutch playmaking when the Patriots needed it most.

When asked if being tied for the best record in the league was something he envisioned when signing with New England, Diggs kept his team grounded: “No, hell no. I mean, it’s still early in the season. I just think we are at the halfway point. We are at a good spot. Could we be better? Hell yeah. Could we burst? We are only playing the guys in front of us. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. That gets you distracted fast.”

On Maye’s performance despite the turnovers, Diggs showed unwavering support: “Chin up, chest out. That stuff happens. Receivers aren’t perfect; we aren’t always open to doing the right stuff. But to be able to go out there and wheel to a win, I’ll take that any day, and I’m riding with Drake Maye.”

Defense Dominates Ground Game

The Patriots’ defense continued its historic run against opposing running backs, holding Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson to just 46 yards rushing after he entered the game averaging 78.4 yards per game. Robinson carried the ball 12 times for 46 yards, marking the ninth consecutive game the Patriots have held an opposing running back under 50 yards.

New England remains the only team in 2025 that has not surrendered 50 yards to a running back through the first nine games—the first time in team history that has occurred. The longest streak since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970 is 10 games by Tampa Bay in 2020.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged the challenge his team faced against New England’s stout run defense.

“Obviously, we knew it would be tough sailing trying to run the football versus this team, and it was,” Morris said. “This team is extraordinarily good on the run game.”

The Falcons finished with just 71 rushing yards on 16 carries, forcing them to abandon their ground game and throw 37 passes compared to only 14 runs.

Linebacker Robert Spillane praised the collective effort in stopping one of the league’s elite running backs: “Yeah, anytime you get to go up against the greatest in the league, it’s a fun challenge. Bijan Robinson, when he runs the ball, all 11 are at the point of attack. He can pick and choose where he wants to run the ball at any point. I’m really proud of our defensive line. Our defensive line has stepped up big for us all year.”

Defensive tackle Milton Williams emphasized the team’s standard: “That’s a special back. If you ask me, it’s him and Saquon [Barkley] as the top two, so he’s a special back. We keyed in on him all week and what they were trying to do. At the end of the day, it’s on the front. I put it on the front every week, be where we’re supposed to be, put hands on the guy you’re supposed to be on, be in your gap.”

Linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson explained the internal mindset: “I guess it’s been impressive to the outside, but I feel like, internally, we all know the standard that we set for ourselves and something that we know we’re capable of. So, continuing every weekend, just to establish that run game and try to set a wall, so when we have the opportunity to rush the passer, we can be successful.”

Cornerbacks Embrace Physical Play

The Patriots’ secondary has been instrumental in the team’s defensive success, with cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, and Marcus Jones all contributing in the run game as well as coverage.

Spillane highlighted the secondary’s commitment: “It’s a mindset. It’s a willingness to stop the run at all costs. All 11 players on the field being dedicated to stopping the run game. If you have one corner that doesn’t want to tackle, those runs turn into big runs. Gonzo [Christian Gonzalez] sticks his nose in there every chance he gets, an elite shut-down corner. When he gets any opportunity to tackle on the edge, he comes up and fills those lanes. Same with Carlton [Davis III], and those are not easy for such a great cover player to say, my job is to cover, not make tackles in the run game.”

Gonzalez explained the cornerback room’s philosophy: “We look at it the same way as pass plays. Sometimes they want to design, the offense can design, to make corners tackle, make nickels tackle. We invited them, so we enjoy it, and we all feed off each other. The same way they get excited when we make a pass break up, I think they get more excited when we come up and make a tackle in the run game. It is awesome, it has been a lot of fun.”

On his matchup with Falcons star receiver Drake London, Gonzalez showed respect: “He is a talented receiver, like a lot of receivers in this league. We had our battles. He won a couple, I won a couple. That is the nature of this position, is you just have to make plays. They are going to make catches; they get paid to, so I am just glad we won.”

Marcus Jones also acknowledged London’s second touchdown: “They were in a bunch formation. They motioned a guy out. It’s a great play call that they ended up having. I would say, at the end of the day, you just have to make a play. He made a play. I didn’t get the ball out, and that’s just a great player making a great play.”

Third Down Efficiency Proves Decisive

The Patriots dominated third-down conversions, converting 8-of-12 attempts (66.7%) while holding Atlanta to just 1-of-10 (10.0%)—a stark contrast that proved decisive in the outcome.

“You just named it,” Morris said when asked about the third-down disparity. “Got to find a way to move the chains on third down, maintain possessions, and we’ve got to find a way to get off the grass. That’s part of the keys to victory today. We weren’t able to do that.”

Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. took responsibility for the offensive struggles on third down.

“We were just not executing. I’ve got to be better,” Penix said. “If it’s getting through my reads, moving on and finding an open guy, or just whatever it could be. But that’s something we got to look at on film, assess and figure out.”

Chaisson Sets Career High

Linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson recorded a 4-yard sack in the first quarter and now has 5½ sacks for the year, a new single-season career-high mark. His previous best was 5 sacks in 2024 with Las Vegas.

Chaisson has been a key contributor to the Patriots’ pass rush, providing consistent pressure and forcing quarterbacks into uncomfortable situations. The Patriots’ defense recorded six sacks on the day.

On the team’s strong start, Chaisson said: “I feel like that’s something that we kept saying, that we need to start off with a better first half, a better first drive. So, we had some great tendencies going into the game, and once I got on the field, I was excited and ready to get my opportunity.”

About the team’s momentum, Chaisson added: “Most definitely, we’re not going to overlook that. We talked about it as a defense, the night before the game, just enjoy this and embrace what we’ve put on the table, what we put on film. We keep saying there’s some things that we want to get better in, but it’s a lot of things we’re doing right and some things that got us to six in a row.”

Jennings Scores First NFL Touchdown

Running back Terrell Jennings scored his first NFL touchdown on a 3-yard run in the second quarter and made his first career reception on a 9-yard pass from Maye in the third quarter. Jennings was signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad during the week and saw his most extensive playing time.

Jennings finished with 11 carries for 35 yards and one touchdown, also assisting on two special teams tackles. His physical running style and willingness to contribute on special teams earned him praise from the coaching staff.

“He’s run hard. He’s a physical back,” Vrabel said. “Excited to keep moving forward with these guys.”

Jennings was emotional after scoring his first NFL touchdown, dedicating the moment to fallen service member Brett Conway and a close friend who passed away.

“This day was special in a way since it was our salute to service. I celebrated Brett Conway his life today. Last night, I had lost a really close, he wasn’t a family member, but he was a close friend to my family. So, I was just balling for them today, and I can really say it was my team. That’s all I could think about with that first touchdown. My team, all the work we put in, they were more excited than me for the touchdown,” Jennings said.

On his touchdown run, Jennings reflected: “I saw the hole. As soon as I touched the end zone, I just praised the Lord. I’m thanking God in my head, like, thank you, God. This is what I play the game for: to get in the end zone. My teammates being there that made the whole experience better.”

Douglas spoke emotionally about sharing the special day with his childhood friend Jennings: “He was with us. This whole morning was hard. I just tried to be a man, and I just had to put my head down. I just know he was with me, and he was with Terrell, too. He got a touchdown, too. And that’s a blessing. We waited for this moment. Terrell did. He trusted the process, and he’s capitalizing, and that’s a blessing.”

Henderson Makes First NFL Start

Running back TreVeyon Henderson made his first NFL start and delivered a solid performance, finishing with 14 carries for 55 yards and four receptions for 32 yards. His 87 scrimmage yards were a career-best, surpassing his 75 rushing yards against Cleveland on October 26.

Henderson’s versatility as both a runner and receiver gave the Patriots’ offense multiple dimensions and kept the Falcons’ defense off balance throughout the game.

“They ran hard. We had some openings. I wish we would have been able to pop a few more, but we moved them,” Vrabel said of his running back tandem.

Patriots Remain Perfect at Home Against Atlanta

The Patriots improved to 3-0 all-time against the Falcons in regular-season games at Gillette Stadium since the venue opened in 2002. New England is undefeated against six teams at home during that span, including Cleveland (6-0), Jacksonville (4-0), Tennessee (4-0), Detroit (3-0), and Minnesota (3-0).

The Patriots have now won seven straight regular-season games against Atlanta, their longest active winning streak against any opponent. The six consecutive wins against Cleveland are second.

Stop and Score Sets the Tone

The Patriots defense set the tone early, forcing a three-and-out on Atlanta’s opening drive—just the second time in 2025 that New England opened a game with a defensive three-and-out. The Patriots previously stopped the Dolphins at Miami on September 14, 2025.

New England capitalized on the stop with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, the longest opening drive of the season for the Patriots. The previous best was a 10-play, 75-yard drive at Miami on September 14.

Late Drama and Clutch Execution

The game came down to the final possession, with the Patriots holding a 24-23 lead after Atlanta scored a touchdown with 4:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Falcons’ extra point attempt was blocked, preserving New England’s one-point advantage.

A critical moment came late in the fourth quarter when the Patriots’ defense forced an intentional grounding penalty on Penix after a clever snap simulation.

“They did a nice job. They simulated a snap,” Morris explained. “They were clapping, simulating our snap, got us to snap the ball. That’s why the ball was snapped early on Mike when he wasn’t ready for the snap.”

Penix confirmed the confusion: “Supposedly, they were clapping. For us, whenever I’m clapping, that means I want the ball. Neuz [Ryan Neuzil] said he heard them clapping, he thought it was my clap, and he snapped the ball.”

The Patriots offense then ran out the clock with a methodical drive, converting a crucial third-and-5 with a 17-yard pass from Maye to tight end Hunter Henry to seal the victory.

“Great timing by Drake, great catch by Hunter, getting a couple extra yards and staying inbounds, all the stuff that we practice in five-minute,” Vrabel said. “They’re believing in it and they’re buying into it because they see that that’s what good teams do to end the game.”

When asked about the decision to throw on the critical third down, Vrabel’s response was simple: “It was pretty quick. Just go win the game. Go get the first and win it.”

Learning to Win Close Games

The Patriots’ ability to win a close game despite not playing their cleanest football was a valuable lesson for the team.

Marcus Jones explained the significance: “Every game in the National Football League is, first off, not going to be a blowout. That’s what it is, so games like these, we learn from them, but it’s also a W. Whenever you’re able to know that you can not play a clean game and still get the W, it means a lot, because we know that there’s a lot of things that we need to get corrected.”

Chaisson echoed the “next play” mentality: “Grit and just a ‘next play’ mentality for sure. Obviously, they made some plays when they had to. They have some key play makers. The receivers made some decent plays, just keeping the drive going. So, just every time we get back to the sideline, we’re finding ways to get the drive stop, get off the field, and keep surviving.”

Offensive Line Takes Responsibility

Center Garrett Bradbury spoke about the offensive line’s commitment to protecting Maye and giving him clean pockets.

“I think that’s everyone in this locker room right now. Obviously, you’re happy you won, but the Drake [Maye] miscues that he’s beating himself up on, we had our hand in it, too. It was protection issues, and we tried to make him do something that’s outside of what he’s coached to do. We have to be better for him. We have to clean the pocket up a little bit and give him some throwing lanes, because when we do, everyone knows how good he can be,” Bradbury said.

Receiver Depth Shines

The Patriots’ receiving corps showcased its depth and versatility, with multiple players making key contributions throughout the game.

Mack Hollins praised the group’s unselfishness: “Yeah, I think he did great. I’m not shocked in any way by it. It’s fun being in this group where you don’t know who’s going to get it. So, everybody’s like, ‘oh, maybe it’s me this week,’ but I think that also makes it hard for defenses to go against us. You can’t say, ‘oh, well, I’m just going to cover Pop [DeMario Douglas] this week because somebody else could go for 100.’ It could be a tight end, it could be a running back, it could be another receiver.”

Hollins also showed his team spirit by arriving to the game dressed as a Revolutionary War militiaman for Salute to Service week: “Well, you know, Salute to Service. We have the militia, which I think is very unique to this team versus the rest of the NFL. I thought it was a good opportunity to join them, and it’s the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War. So, it kind of all timed up pretty well.”

Vrabel’s Message: Embrace the Joy

After the game, Vrabel emphasized the importance of appreciating victories, especially after overcoming adversity.

“Don’t let anybody take the joy out of what we do,” Vrabel told his team. “Joy is authentic. Joy comes from these guys caring about each other, being happy for the guy next to them that made a play. When you get another opportunity, you want to try to make the most of it and enjoy it.”

Maye echoed his coach’s sentiment while acknowledging areas for improvement.

“So far in my career, I think just trying to enjoy these wins,” Maye said. “It’s tough to win in this league, and from my short career in this league, I think you’ve just got to enjoy it when you get in the win column.”

Staying Grounded Despite Success

Despite being tied for the best record in the league at the halfway point, the Patriots remained focused on continuous improvement.

Milton Williams kept the team’s perspective in check: “We’ve got a long way to go, it sounds good right now, but we aren’t anywhere near where we’re going to be. Just keep stacking wins when we can get the opportunity and build off of it.”

Spillane emphasized the value of each victory: “It means everything to us. We get 17 of these opportunities guaranteed, and you don’t take them lightly. Each one of these games is going to show up big later down the season in November and December. When you’re looking for a win, to come out of here with a win was huge for us today.”

When asked about his pride in the team’s defensive statistics, Spillane showed his character: “None, my pride comes from being who I am, the person I am, trying to be a good teammate as best as I could be. I don’t put my pride into stats. I’m really proud of how we’ve been able to stop these running backs, and then I want to see that continue going forward. But at the end of the day, I’m going to be proud of the effort that I put in.”

Falcons Show Fight Despite Three-Game Skid

Despite falling to their third consecutive loss, the Falcons showed resilience and fought until the final whistle. Wide receiver Drake London delivered a standout performance with nine receptions for 118 yards and three touchdowns, earning praise from both his quarterback and head coach.

“He’s just being the same person he’s been since I got here—the guy that’s going to make big-time plays in big-time moments,” Penix said of London. “He’s a special player, special person. He does special things each and every week.”

Morris highlighted London’s effort as emblematic of the team’s competitive spirit.

“We talked about uncommon effort last night. What he did today was come out and play with uncommon effort,” Morris said. “It wasn’t just Drake, there were some men across the board that played that way trying to give us a win versus a very good football team.”

When asked about concerns regarding the team’s confidence after three straight losses, Morris was defiant.

“No. Confidence is never an issue with the team,” Morris said. “The team came out and fought. They’ll come out and fight next week. We’ll find ways to get a win. That’s never an issue for us.”

Penix maintained the same confidence heading into the Falcons’ upcoming trip to Berlin, Germany.

“I mean, it’s still high. It’s got to be,” Penix said of the team’s confidence. “It’s NFL football. We’re still in it. We’ve still got a lot of games to go. I know this team is going to bounce back.”

By the Numbers

• Total Yards: Patriots 331, Falcons 288
• First Downs: Patriots 23, Falcons 17
• Third Down Efficiency: Patriots 8-12 (66.7%), Falcons 1-10 (10.0%)
• Time of Possession: Patriots 34:05, Falcons 25:55
• Turnovers: Patriots 1, Falcons 0
• Sacks: Patriots 1, Falcons 6

What’s Next

The Patriots will look to extend their winning streak to seven games as they continue their push for playoff positioning. The defense will aim to extend its historic streak of holding opposing running backs under 50 yards, while Maye will attempt to break the franchise record with a ninth consecutive game with a 100-plus passer rating.

Diggs previewed the challenge ahead: “They’re a good team. Everybody knows that they’re a good team. Baker Mayfield’s a baller. He has been one of my favorite players since he was in college. They got a lot of explosive guys on the other side. We are going on the road again. There is a lot to prove for us.”

With momentum building and confidence soaring, the Patriots are proving they’re a force to be reckoned with in the AFC playoff race.

“I’m glad and appreciative of everything that they’ve given us thus far halfway through the season,” Vrabel said. “It’s a fun group to coach because I think that they’re going to always want more.”

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