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 just too quick for the sport proper now. This dude is unstoppable. He’s seeing the sport with velocity, 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 and not using a supporting solid, 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 just working at one other degree — an MVP degree. 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 bit of recommendation than a takeaway. However Dart isn’t going to make it to 12 months 2 if he retains taking part in like this. In his first sport 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 absorb years and not using a flag. He was attempting to scramble alongside the sideline for a couple of 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 stated on ESPN’s “Manning Forged.”
Maye had this downside final yr. He, too, suffered a concussion and ran an excessive amount of on a foul soccer workforce. It’s not sensible.
If Dart can’t keep wholesome, how on the planet will he flip this group round?
3. It’s enjoyable to speak about QBs, however particular groups instructed the story of this sport
In the event you watched solely the particular groups performs from this sport, you’d’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 unsure 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 regarded 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, placing the turf however not the ball. It’s a must 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 sport was.
4. The Patriots may enter the playoffs because the AFC’s Tremendous Bowl favorites
It’s straightforward to think about the Patriots successful three of their subsequent 4 video games and ending with the No. 1 seed. It’s straightforward to think about Maye all however locking up his MVP candidacy throughout that span. It’s potential 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 is likely to be Josh Allen and the Payments who stand most prominently of their manner.
Maye and New England have come a really, very, very great distance from the place they have been right now 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 Photographs)
4 ½. What’s subsequent?
The Patriots (11-2) have a bye to relaxation up, and it comes at 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 may simply be their greatest sport of the season: at house in opposition to 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 will see their projected draft place). Sure, they’ve a sport in opposition to the lowly Washington Commanders subsequent week. However it’s potential Jayden Daniels may return, and that might 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 eager about their subsequent coach — and the man they’ll decide within the high 5 alternatives 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 protecting the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Comply with him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
Need nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports activities account, and comply with leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a customized publication day by day!
