Let’s take a look at who’s up, who’s down, and whom to watch ahead of the Patriots-Bills Week 5 Sunday night showdown . . .
Three up
Quarterback Drake Maye: Coming off a loss with two turnovers, Maye took care of the football and made smart decisions in last Sunday’s win over the Panthers. He completed 14 of 17 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for another touchdown and set a career high in passer rating (155.6), breaking his previous best, set in Week 2. Maye joins Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen as the only NFL quarterbacks to have recorded multiple games in a season with a passing touchdown, a rushing touchdown, and a passer rating of at least 135. Yes, the Panthers aren’t much of a challenge, but Maye still struck an impressive balance between staying patient in the pocket and creating on the move. He and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels appear to have found their groove after Week 1.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs: For the first time since Week 6 of the 2023 season, Diggs eclipsed 100 receiving yards. He was New England’s top receiver, catching 6 of 7 targets, including a 33-yard reception deep downfield for the longest play of the day and a 22-yard reception to convert the first down on a third and 15. If Sunday was a breakout game for Diggs, who is still not a year removed from tearing his ACL, then Maye might finally have a reliable go-to receiver. Through four weeks, Diggs has caught nearly everything thrown his way. Among NFL receivers with at least 20 targets, his catch rate of 86.4 percent ranks second behind only Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87.2).
Punt returner Marcus Jones: His 87-yard punt return for a touchdown served as the turning point in the game. Jones later almost returned one for another score, but got clipped by the punter. His 167 punt return yards set a single-game franchise record. On the season, Jones is averaging 28.9 yards per return. If he can consistently set up the offense with favorable field position, then the Patriots need to capitalize.
Three down
Cornerback Carlton Davis: There aren’t many “downs” in a 42-13 blowout, but the defense didn’t put up much of a fight on the Panthers’ opening drive. Davis committed a pass interference penalty while defending Tetairoa McMillan on a second and 1 to give the Panthers a fresh set of downs at midfield. Then, in the second quarter, Davis committed a holding penalty, again while defending McMillan, on second down when the Panthers were at New England’s 36-yard line. Even though Davis didn’t allow a catch, according to Pro Football Focus, he finished with a poor coverage grade because of his penalties.
Linebacker Christian Elliss: For the second straight game, Jack Gibbens replaced Elliss in the second quarter as the inside linebacker alongside Robert Spillane. Inside linebacker has been one of the defense’s weaker positions, as the unit has missed tackles and struggled in coverage. Gibbens finished with a team-high seven solo tackles and could be in line to start Sunday night. The Patriots also could turn to veteran Jahlani Tavai, who is eligible to return off injured reserve this week.
Safety Craig Woodson: Woodson was in coverage on Carolina’s two touchdowns, both by tight ends that beat him off the line of scrimmage. Tommy Tremble hauled in a 7-yard pass over Woodson in the first quarter, and Mitchell Evans got wide open at the end of the fourth. Woodson also missed two tackles. It’s clear the team felt the rookie could use some additional reps, as he was on the field for 99 percent of the snaps in a game where most of the starters didn’t finish because of the lopsided score.
Three to watch
Safety Jaylinn Hawkins: Hawkins suffered a hamstring injury and did not play in the second half. Wednesday will offer a better indication of the severity of the injury. If Hawkins is unavailable, Kyle Dugger will be thrust into a larger role after spending the majority of the summer as an afterthought. New England’s depth at the position is thinner than expected following the release of Jabrill Peppers in August.
Maye: Buffalo’s defense has given up the fewest passing yards (564) and explosive passing plays (5) in the league. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging a league-low 5.5 yards per attempt. Sunday will be the biggest test of the season so far for Maye. Given the Patriots’ inconsistencies on the ground, there will likely be pressure on Maye to execute.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson: The Patriots stuck with Stevenson as their starter after Mike Vrabel said he would not be disciplined for his two fumbles in Week 3. That being said, the first-half snap distribution was much more evenly distributed among Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, and Antonio Gibson. It’ll be worth watching to see whether the distribution shifts back to its previous split, where Stevenson led the running backs in playing time and carries.
