Depending on who you asked, Week 9 was always going to be a tricky game for the Patriots (7-2).
During the many requisite radio segments where hosts would go through the Patriots’ 2025 schedule game-by-game proclaiming “WIN” or “LOSS” for each opponent, the Falcons (3-5) were always a team that fell into the toss-up zone.
“Well, they do have talent…”
“I don’t know, Penix might be good…”
“They did just spend two first-round picks on pass rushers…”
We’ve all had almost 10 months to talk about this team. No stone has gone unturned.
And with the season Atlanta has had through eight weeks, that toss-up moniker still fits the bill. One week they’re beating the Bills (5-2) by 10, and two games later they’re getting worked by the Dolphins (2-7).
On Sunday, this Jekyll and Hyde team took on both personas, losing at Gillette Stadium, 24-23, while putting a scare into the AFC East leaders.
Great teams handle their business in these toss-up scenarios. This upstart Patriots team did just that on Sunday, checking yet another box in the great-team column as they continue their ascent to the top of the AFC.
New England wins its sixth game in a row, marking the first time it’s done that since the middle of the 2021 season. That 2021 win streak made it to seven games, and that team was the last for New England to make the postseason.
Here are your Ups & Downs for Week 9:
Ups:
- Drake London: For the second straight week, the best player on the football field was playing for the other team.
Nine catches on 14 targets for 119 yards and three touchdowns.
Dude was a monster throughout the day. More on him throughout the column.
- Fast-starting defense: …That’s more like it, guys!
After weeks of starting the game flat as opponents scored on their opening possessions, the Patriots defense shot out of a cannon to start the game on Sunday:
- A pass out to the flats on 1st and 10 to Bijan Robinson, bottled up after only 2 yards
- Michael Penix sacked for a 4-yard loss by K’Lavon Chaisson for a loss of 4 yards
- An incompletion on 3rd and 12 after pressure forced Penix into a bad throw behind the line of scrimmage intended for Robinson
A quick three and out, and the Falcons were punting it away after just 1:41 of possessing the football.
Great defense led right into great offense, as the Patriots drove right up the field for a touchdown on their first drive.
7-0 Patriots with 7:44 remaining in the first quarter.
That’s what it’s supposed to be!
- TreVeyon Henderson: With starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined with a toe injury, Henderson was in a position heading into Sunday for what should have been the best game of his young career.
That’s not exactly what happened, but the Ohio State-product showed early on why the Patriots used the 38th overall pick on him this past spring.
On the first drive alone, Henderson accounted for 39 yards of total offense - 2 catches for 30 yards and 2 carries for 9 yards. It was Henderson’s 19-yard catch on 2nd and 10 from the Atlanta 37 that set New England up in the red zone, leading to a beautiful 16-yard touchdown pass from Drake Maye to DeMario Douglas just two plays later.
While New England eventually went away from the run, Henderson looked good carrying the ball throughout the day when given the opportunity, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. He ended the day with 55 rushing yards on 14 carries, as well as 4 catches for 32 yards. That YPC number would’ve looked a lot better had the rookie not been tackled for an eight-yard loss in the second half.
Progress!
- K’Lavon Chaisson: After winning AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 7, Chaisson had already announced his presence as one of New England’s best players on the roster. And if you had been paying attention in the six games leading up to that performance in Tennessee, you would have already known about the pass rusher’s impact on the game on a weekly basis.
After recording a sack on New England’s first defensive possession, Chaisson followed that up with a 5-yard tackle for a loss his next time out on the field.
While he only finished the day with 2 total tackles, Chaisson’s impact was felt throughout the day on the pass rush. The dude has an unreal motor, and New England needs him to continue staying healthy if they want to remain towards the top of the AFC.
(I’m not giving him a demerit for the illegal hands to the face penalty the refs called on him in the fourth quarter. I thought that was weak sauce)
- Terrell Jennings: With Antonio Gibson out for the season with a torn ACL and Stevenson sidelined with a toe injury, former practice squad running back Terrell Jennings was given the nod as New England’s No. 2 back on Sunday.
And on New England’s third offensive possession, he showed why New England has made an effort to keep him around despite not initially having a roster spot for him after the “final” 53-man roster was set ahead of Week 1.
Jennings had runs of 3, 5 and 11 yards on the drive, before punching the ball in from 3 yards out for his first career regular season touchdown to help give the Patriots a 14-7 lead with 8:52 remaining in the second quarter.
He finished the day with 35 rushing yards on 11 carries, while also adding a catch for 9 receiving yards.
Jennings is someone I’ve always liked. I mentioned both on our airwaves and on 6 Rings throughout training camp that I felt like the 24-year-old always ran hard, and was surprised he wasn’t scooped up off the practice squad with the solid game tape he had put out there in the preseason.
Good for Jennings making an impact when given the opportunity to do so.
- DeMario Douglas: Four catches for 100 yards and a touchdown is more than worthy of a mention in the “Ups” section.
After a slow start to the season, “Pop” has emerged as one of Maye’s more reliable targets on a weekly basis.
As someone who profiles as a player that should eat in the Josh McDaniels offense, he hasn’t necessarily done so yet. But if he’s finding ways to be productive while the team continues to win, there’s no reason to rock the boat and expect more from the third-year receiver out of Liberty.
Some Ups, Some Downs:
- Drake Maye: Let’s start with the Ups.
We got more MVP-level football from Maye on Sunday to open the ballgame, as the 23-year-old dazzled with both his legs and arm once again.
On 2nd and 10 from the Falcons 49, Maye scrambled for 12 yards, avoiding what looked like a potential sack as he rolled to his right and made the most of the open field (he probably should have slid a few yards prior to when he was tackled, but that’s a separate conversation for a separate column).
Four plays later, Maye’s arm came to the party, as he found Douglas on a wheel route up the left sideline for the first touchdown of the game. The ball was placed beautifully, as Douglas caught the ball completely in stride on his way to the score.
Fast forward to the second quarter, where Maye gave us a perfect example of how much better he has gotten with his decision making in year two on the job.
On a 3rd a 7 from his own 31, Maye stepped up in the pocket with two possible pass catchers open downfield. He had tight end Austin Hooper open beyond the sticks, but opted for the more difficult throw to Douglas further downfield.
Douglas wasn’t completely covered, but he wasn’t exactly wide open, either. Maye placed the ball perfectly, putting his receiver in a position to make a play in the open field. Douglas ping-ponged through the middle of the field on his way to a 58-yard gain, setting up New England for a 1st and 10 from the Falcons 11 yard line.
Two plays later, Maye found Stefon Diggs open underneath the defense, and the former All-Pro made five Falcon defenders miss on his way to the front right pylon for 6. An extra point later, and the Patriots were up 21-7 with 5:11 remaining in the first half.
His first foray into the “Downs” section came with 32 seconds remaining in the first half. Maye was back to pass, and Falcons rookie Jalon Walker broke free on a stunt. Guard Mike Onwenu got completely turned around, and Maye was caught holding the ball with one hand as he was taken down for a sack.
The ball popped free on the tackle, and fellow rookie pass rusher James Pearce Jr. scooped it up for a gain of 21 yards. The Falcons got the ball on the Patriots 6, and two plays later they were in the end zone for the second time with Drake London catching a ball over Marcus Jones.
With the Patriots opening the second half with the ball, Maye fumbled yet again on New England’s first offensive play. While moving in the pocket, Maye tripped over right guard Jared Wilson’s heel, and dropped the ball once again while holding it with one hand like a loaf of bread. This time, he recovered the ball and kept the drive moving. Crisis averted - but yikes, man.
Maye has now fumbled four times in the last four weeks. His flashes of MVP-level brilliance are going to be clouded by plays like this as the season rolls along. I think he’s more than worthy of being in the discussion, but he’s an IG edit of fumbles away from bumping himself out of the convo if he doesn’t clean this part of his game up in the next few weeks.
Later in the third quarter, Maye made another play worthy of “Downs.” On a 2nd and 10 from the Patriots 48, Maye was intercepted by Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, as tight end Hunter Henry cut towards the sidelines while Maye tossed the ball to the middle of the field. Bates made the play, and returned the ball 16 yards to set up a 1st and 10 for Atlanta from their own 49 yard line.
Fast forward to the fourth quarter, and it was Maye who helped seal the win on a 3rd and 5 from the Patriots 23, as he hit Henry for 17 yards. This gave New England a first down, and allowed them to run out the clock to win the game.
Make no mistake about it - Maye remains a bona fide MVP candidate. His failings today were far from poor enough to knock him out of contention. Not only did his team get the win, he made plays throughout the day that still show how valuable he is to his team.
But like I said when talking about the fumbles - he can't make games like this a habit if he wants to remain in the Mahomes/Allen/Jackson echelon.
Downs:
- Marcus Jones: After a week that saw him both sign a three-year contract extension and win AFC Defensive Player of the Month, Jones got picked on by Penix and future Pro Bowl wide receiver Drake London.
On two different plays from inside the 3 yard line for Atlanta, Penix found London over Jones on a goal line fade, accounting for both of Atlanta’s first half touchdowns.
London is 6-foot-4. Jones is listed at 5-foot-8 (I think he’s shorter).
He’s been a mainstay in “Ups” all season long. Been when you get exposed for two different touchdowns, that’s going to get you put in “Downs” every single time.
- Mike Onwenu: Onwenu’s flub on the Walker stunt directly resulted in a momentum-shifting turnover that two plays later led to Atlanta points.
These things happen, and it takes two to tango on plays like this with Maye being careless with the football. With that said, this wasn’t Onwenu’s only bad play to have a direct impact on the scoreboard.
With 7:37 to go in the third quarter, the Patriots had a 2nd and goal from the Atlanta 5 yard line, in a great position to extend their lead to 28-14. As Maye went back to pass, Onwenu got beat in one-on-one, and Maye was sacked for the fifth time on Sunday. Two plays later, and the Patriots were attempting a field goal rather than punching the ball in the end zone.
With allowing 6 sacks on the day, the entire offensive line really should be on here as a unit for a second consecutive week. With that said, we’ll just stick with Onwenu this week, and hope things get better for the unit in Week 10.
- Parker Romo: Remember that guy?
After London came down with a sick toe-tapping touchdown with 4:40 remaining in the fourth quarter to bring the Falcons within 1, all the former Patriots training camp kicker had to do was hit the extra point to tie the game at 24-24.
Turns out that wasn’t that easy, with Romo missing his first extra point of the season. In a moment where Atlanta looked like it had grabbed the momentum away from New England, they instead trailed 24-23 with less than five minutes to go.
That officially settles it! Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf picked the right guy at the end of camp!
- Injuries to Monitor: Three players with varying levels of importance for the Patriots exited the ballgame on Sunday with injuries, with Kayshon Boutte leaving the game with a hamstring injury and Christian Elliss leaving the game with a hip injury.
I wouldn’t classify either player as a star, but both players are extremely important to their side of the ball.
For a team that doesn’t have the best depth in the NFL, they need both of these injuries to be minor blips moving forward.
The third, and by far the most impactful injury of the bunch, was cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who sustained an injury in tight coverage on London in the fourth quarter. On a 40-yard throw up the sideline from Penix, London went up and made the catch with the minimal amount of room he had to make a play. As London and Gonzalez both hit the ground after the play, the Falcon popped up to celebrate as the Patriot stayed down before laboring himself off the field surrounded by the training staff.
A few minutes later, the team announced Gonzalez was questionable to return to the game with a head injury. The All-Pro corner never re-entered the ballgame.
Gonzalez did an impromptu podium session with the media after the game, saying he cleared concussion protocol, saying he's "good." Here's his full answer from Sunday:
As of publishing, the Patriots are 2.5-point underdogs in Week 10, as they hit the road for a matchup with the NFC South-leading Buccaneers (6-2). You can get them at +125 on the moneyline, and the total sits at 47.5.
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.