New England has won 10 straight. That’s not a typo.
The Patriots took care of business at home on Monday Night Football, taking down the New York Giants 33-15 thanks to a dominant first half.
New York coughed up the ball multiple times on special teams in the first half, but had its defense keep New England in check in the second to prevent a worse score differential.
But Jaxson Dart didn’t offer enough in his first game back after a two-week absence, and Drake Maye continued to deliver with efficiency.
Here are winners and losers from the Patriots’ win, which moved them to 11-2 while the Giants are a small 2-11:
WINNER: Marcus Jones, Patriots
The Patriots set the tone early when Terrell Jennings returned the opening kickoff to near midfield. At the 5:28 mark of the first quarter, it was Marcus Jones’ turn to take a stab at New York. And he did just that and more.
Jones took the punt 94 yards to the house, pushing New England’s lead to 10-0.
It marked Jones’ third career punt-return touchdown. His return average entering the game was 13.6, which was already the highest average in NFL history. He had an average of 41.3 in this game to increase that statistic. The Patriots are definitely optimizing their 2022 third-round pick.
LOSER: Giants’ special teams
Speaking of special teams, it was a nightmare for New York. Along with the punt return, kicker Younghoe Koo had a terrible attempt at a field goal down 17-7 in the second quarter.
Koo from 47 yards out appeared to stumble right before kicking, leading punter Jamie Gillan to lose 13 yards and missing out on three points to make it a one-possession game.
Gunner Olszewski later fumbled a kickoff later in the second quarter, which Elijah Ponder recovered. The Patriots only put up a field goal to make it 27-7, but it was just another head-scratching mistake for a team that couldn’t afford any if they hoped for an upset.
WINNER: Drake Maye, Patriots
The second-year Maye kept his form rolling against an opponent he should’ve done well against. Entering the game with the league’s best completion percentage, Maye completed 24 of 31 passes for 282 yards, two touchdowns and no picks.
That included a 33-yard dime to Kyle Williams in the first half, the wideout’s first and only catch of the game.
Maye will have bigger tests in the future, but passing the smaller ones without a worry is always a plus.
LOSER: Jaxson Dart, Giants
On the other hand, rookie Dart failed to offer a quality threat against New England’s defense.
He threw for 139 yards and a touchdown on 17 of 24 completions while rushing for 20 yards on four attempts. His mobility was his best trait from the game, but the Giants will need much more from him in the pocket to take the next step.
Not having Malik Nabers hurts, but New York will need to supply Dart with much better weapons next season and beyond.
WINNER: Bye weeks
The Patriots have cruised to a 11-2 record and now get the benefit of heading into their bye week in Week 14. They will be one of four teams that waited this long, along with the Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers.
New England will return from the bye and close the season facing, in order, Buffalo (H), Baltimore (A), NY Jets (A) and Miami (H).
Buffalo and Baltimore will test New England’s 10-game winning streak, but getting a week off before the postseason could be key for health reasons. Mike Vrabel will need to ensure his team doesn’t get rusty and lose momentum, though.
Here are five things to know about Drake Maye, quarterback for the New England Patriots.