New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots are on a roll, but they will face a big challenge in Week 10 when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As has been the case for much of the season, the team will be relying on star quarterback Drake Maye to lead them to victory.
In his first full year as the team’s starter under center, Maye has taken a massive step forward. Through nine games, Maye has thrown for 2,285 yards and 17 touchdowns, while also rushing for 270 yards and two more scores on the ground.
The Bucs are going to have their hands full when it comes to slowing down Maye, but they have a strong, defensive-minded head coach in Todd Bowles leading the way. When discussing Maye, though, Bowles was effusive in his praise for him, saying he’s been “out of this world” in the 2025 campaign.
There’s a lot to like about what Maye has done for New England this season. He’s leading the league in completion percentage (74.1%), and he has continually established himself as a legitimate MVP candidate with each passing game he wins.
Taking down the Bucs may be Maye’s biggest challenge yet, though. Not only do they have their own high-powered offense, but Tampa Bay has a defense that is capable of pressuring Maye under center all day long.
Even though New England has done a lot of winning as of late, it could use another victory over a de facto playoff contender in Week 10. Maye and the Pats will have a shot to prove they can go toe-to-toe with any team when they square off against the Buccaneers this weekend.
