New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots battled their way to their 10th win of the season in Week 12, as they earned a gritty 26-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Drake Maye once again led the way under center, but it’s safe to say this was not his best performance of the season.
When all was said and done, Maye’s numbers look solid, as he completed 22 of his 35 pass attempts for 294 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing for 22 yards on five carries. He looked off in the first quarter, though, and he threw a particularly brutal interception to Geno Stone that was returned for a touchdown.
Maye found his footing eventually, but it’s safe to say that this was the most worrisome victory of New England’s ongoing nine-game win streak. After the game, the second-year quarterback admitted that this game wasn’t perfect, but at the end of the day, a win is a win.
“Just gotta battle back,” Maye said of his early struggles to Melanie Collins of CBS. “You’re gonna face adversity in this league. Blessed to be out here, thank the good Lord for another win. That’s football, that’s the NFL. Battling back, just trying to find a way to win. Proud of these guys. We got a lot to clean up, but came away with the win.”
Perfection is impossible to achieve in the NFL, and Maye knows that. You aren’t going to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns every game, and that’s OK, as long as you find ways to win. Early in his career, Maye has managed to do just that.
New England will now turn the page to Week 13, where they play their final game before their much-needed bye week in Week 14. The Patriots will square off against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, with kickoff for this game scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.
