The New England Patriots walked away with more hope than they walked in with in their Week 6 loss to the Houston Texans. They got hammered into the ground by a superior football team, but for the Patriots, it went much deeper than wins and losses.
With rookie quarterback Drake Maye making his first NFL start, the team needed to see how different it looked with the future franchise face commanding the offense. Maye flashed the rare talent that made him one of the most sought-after prospects in college football.
There were some bumpy spots, but there’s also no denying the fact that the offense looked better than it’s been all season. The team pushed the ball downfield and got playmakers who were initially being underutilized more involved.
It wasn’t enough to get the win, but it was enough to prove the Patriots are on the right track toward ultimately turning things around.
Here are the best and worst performers from Week 6 with at least 25 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.