New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots handled their business in Week 6, picking up a 25-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints. The game was a bit more tightly contested than it should have been, but at the end of the day, a win is a win.
The Pats continue to look like the real deal, and with a 4-2 record, they are firmly in the playoff hunt as we near the midway point of the season. Before turning the page to Week 7, though, let’s take a look back at the action and pick out four studs and four duds from New England’s third straight win.
Drake Maye
It admittedly feels a bit homer-ish continually listing Drake Maye as a stud, but that’s a testament to how well he’s been playing so far this season. Maye completed 18 of his 26 pass attempts for 261 yards and three scores, while also leading the team with 28 rushing yards on nine carries. If Maye keeps playing like this, the sky’s the limit for the Patriots.
Kayshon Boutte
The past few weeks, Stefon Diggs had been leading the way for New England’s wide receiver room, but this time, it was Kayshon Boutte’s turn. Boutte caught five passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, and he iced the game with a contested 21-yard catch along the sideline late in the fourth quarter.
Demario Douglas
Welcome to the 2025 campaign, Demario Douglas. After being virtually invisible through five games, Douglas opened the scoring for the Pats with a 53-yard touchdown. Douglas finished with three catches for 71 yards and a score, and if it weren’t for a bogus pass interference penalty on Diggs, he would have had another 61-yard score to his name.
Christian Elliss
It wasn’t the best day defensively for the Patriots, but when they needed a big play, it was Christian Elliss who delivered, forcing a fumble from Juwon Johnson midway through the fourth quarter. Elliss also finished second on the team with seven tackles, and he picked up a pass deflection in coverage, too.
Rhamondre Stevenson
The first game for New England’s rushing attack in the wake of Antonio Gibson’s season-ending injury wasn’t particularly good. While he didn’t fumble, Rhamondre Stevenson got absolutely nothing going in this game, turning his 13 carries into just 18 yards. With each poor game, the calls for TreVeyon Henderson to get more carries only grow louder.
Kyle Dugger
It’s been jarring to see Kyle Dugger turn into a shell of himself in the Patriots’ new-look defense. Filling in for the injured Jaylinn Hawkins, Dugger was immediately burned for a 53-yard reception by Chris Olave on the first play of the game. Dugger finished with just three tackles, and it feels like a change of scenery may be best for him at this point.
Garrett Bradbury
The Pats’ offensive line generally held up well in the pass game, as Maye was sacked just once, although as noted above, the ground game got...
