Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.) — The New England Patriots reminded everyone why the New York Giants do not belong on primetime TV, at least for the time being.
Quarterback Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel put a shellacking on the Giants, 33-15, on Monday night. Maye improved his case for the NFL MVP, moving into pole position as the betting favorite. New England sits at the top of the AFC, and the Patriots certainly appear to be the most complete team in their conference. The Giants must want this season to simply end. It’s a bad year that only seems to get worse.
Here are my takeaways:
1. The game slowed to a complete halt for Maye
There’s that saying: “The game is too fast for [insert young quarterback].”
Maye is simply too quick for the sport proper now. This dude is unstoppable. He’s seeing the sport with pace, ease and confidence, and the Giants had completely no reply. How may they? He was ripping the ball into tight home windows and sending the ball downfield with astounding accuracy. And for all of the (legit) dialog about how Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes have struggled with no supporting forged, Maye has lifted his lackluster unit. He doesn’t have an elite receiver. He doesn’t have an elite tight finish. His offensive line was lacking two starters.
And but he continues to dominate: Maye completed 24-of-31 for 282 yards and two touchdowns whereas speeding for 15 extra yards.
His landing to rookie receiver Kyle Williams was the proper instance of how Maye is solely working at one other stage — an MVP stage. Maye put the ball alongside the sideline the place Williams may toe-tap and rating the 33-yard rating.
2. Jaxson Dart, for the love of all issues good, please take higher care of your self
I do know, I do know. That is extra of a chunk of recommendation than a takeaway. However Dart isn’t going to make it to Yr 2 if he retains enjoying like this. In his first recreation again from a concussion, the younger Giants’ franchise QB instructed ESPN’s Eli Manning (earlier than the sport) that he wouldn’t abandon the run — however that he’d be smarter and safer when speeding for yards.
Effectively, that didn’t occur.
Dart took one of many greatest hits I’ve seen a quarterback soak up years with no flag. He was making an attempt to scramble alongside the sideline for just a few further inches and linebacker Christian Eliss got here in to show Dart a lesson.
“He instructed me that if he was close to the sidelines, he would run out of bounds. He lied to me,” Manning mentioned on ESPN’s “Manning Solid.”
Maye had this downside final yr. He, too, suffered a concussion and ran an excessive amount of on a nasty soccer workforce. It’s not sensible.
If Dart can’t keep wholesome, how on the earth will he flip this group round?
3. It’s enjoyable to speak about QBs, however particular groups instructed the story of this recreation
For those who watched solely the particular groups performs from this recreation, you’ll’ve had a robust understanding of how dominant the Patriots have been.
It began with cornerback Marcus Jones’ 94-yard punt return landing. It was his seventy fifth profession punt return, which certified him for the all-time report. And he was instantly No. 1 in league historical past with 14.6 yards per punt return. I’m undecided everybody is aware of how terrific Jones is, however he’s trending towards being an all-time nice.
Then there was that second the place Giants kicker Younghoe Koo appeared like all of us — or at the very least me — off the primary tee on a spherical of 18. Koo chunked his subject purpose try, putting the turf however not the ball. It’s important to see it to imagine it.
So as to add literal damage to insult, the Patriots appeared to knock out Giants kick returner Gunner Olszewski, who fumbled the ball and gave it to the Patriots on the 27-yard line.
It was bleak for the Giants on particular groups. And it was a microcosm of how uncompetitive this recreation was.
4. The Patriots would possibly enter the playoffs because the AFC’s Tremendous Bowl favorites
It’s simple to think about the Patriots successful three of their subsequent 4 video games and ending with the No. 1 seed. It’s simple to think about Maye all however locking up his MVP candidacy throughout that span. It’s attainable Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow won’t be within the playoffs.
Even when all that doesn’t occur, New England ought to have a reasonably easy path to the Tremendous Bowl. It could be Josh Allen and the Payments who stand most prominently of their means.
Maye and New England have come a really, very, very great distance from the place they have been presently final yr. However that doesn’t imply we shouldn’t respect the standard and consistency of their play. It’s occurring once more. The Patriots have an elite quarterback and an elite coach. They may set up themselves as perennial Tremendous Bowl contenders as quickly as this yr.
It is all smiles for head coach Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye in New England. (Winslow Townson/Getty Photos)
4 ½. What’s subsequent?
The Patriots (11-2) have a bye to relaxation up, and it comes at a great time, given two of their high offensive lineman — left deal with Will Campbell and guard Jared Wilson — are set to overlook prolonged time with accidents. And simply as necessary, it’ll assist to have further time to organize for what would possibly simply be their greatest recreation of the season: at residence towards the Payments. Allen and firm can nonetheless win the AFC East, nearly as good as Maye and Vrabel have been.
The Giants (2-11) will proceed to look to the draft (and the web site Tankathon, the place they’ll see their projected draft place). Sure, they’ve a recreation towards the lowly Washington Commanders subsequent week. Nevertheless it’s attainable Jayden Daniels may return, and that will make it troublesome for New York to grind out its third win of the season. No, there’s not a lot hope left within the yr. It’s time for the Giants to start out interested by their subsequent coach — and the man they’ll decide within the high 5 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years overlaying the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Observe him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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