Patriots overcome tough start to cruise to 5th straight win over Browns
Drake Maye and the Patriots continue to roll, and this time they had to overcome some adversity to do it.
The New England Patriots continue to roll, and this time they overcame adversity to do it.
The Pats overcame a slow start to keep it close before dominating the third quarter against the Cleveland Browns, ultimately cruising to a 32-13 win, their fifth in a row to improve to 6-2 on the season. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 18 of 24 passes for 282 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception (135.8 passer rating) in the victory, while Browns rookie QB Dillon Gabriel posted a 65.9 rating on the other side. The Pats won handily despite an excellent game for Browns All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett, who sacked Maye five times and also forced a fumble.
The Patriots offense picked up where it left off to start its first drive of the game, as a combination of passing by Maye and chunk runs by TreVeyon Henderson set them up with first-and-goal at the Browns' 4-yard line. But they only went backward from there, finishing with Maye taking a 10-yard sack from Garrett that forced the Patriots to settle for a field goal and a 3-0 lead. Cleveland responded in the strongest way possible. Wide receiver Malachi Corley ripped off a 31-yard run off a trick-play handoff, and rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel went 3-for-3 for 35 yards and a touchdown through the air to quickly put the Browns on top, 7-3.
The Browns kept their momentum going by forcing the Patriots offense to punt on its next drive, but New England answered on defense with a forced punt of their own. But Maye, under duress again, threw his first interception since Week 3 to Browns rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger. The quarterback appeared to simply not see Schwesinger over the middle of the field on an ill-advised attempt that had no chance of getting to the target.
The Patriots offense followed a familiar pattern on its next drive. Maye completed passes to Austin Hooper and Mack Hollins for a combined 52 yards, but again, Garrett beat multiple blockers for another sack, and the Pats had to kick another field goal, cutting the deficit to 7-6. The Pats defense forced its second punt in three possessions, getting the ball right back to the offense with just over six minutes left in the first half. A false start penalty by right guard Mike Onwenu and a third-down incompletion ultimately stalled the drive.
Facing a third-and-14 on their next possession, the Browns tried a potential double-pass with wide receiver Gage Larvadain, but he was only able to scramble for three yards. The Patriots offense again couldn't find the end zone with a chance at the end of the half, as a Garrett strip-sack (recovered by the Pats' Jared Wilson) and a false start by Henry backed them up. Maye's third-down attempt went to Kayshon Boutte for 21 yards on third-and-23, making up enough yardage for rookie kicker Andy Borregales to drill his third of the game, giving New England a 9-7 lead at halftime.
The Patriots defense got off to a better start to the second half than it did in the first, forcing a punt for the third straight possession and a three-and-out for the second time on the day. Maye and the offense cashed in on their opportunity to extend the lead, as Maye rolled right and hit Henry for a touchdown pass, his first of the day, to make it 16-7 Patriots. The ground game helped power this drive, as rookie back TreVeyon Henderson ripped off a 27-yard run and receiver DeMario Douglas took a sweep for eight yards to move the chains.
Maye also found Hollins for 19 yards on a double-pass play, in which Rhamondre Stevenson took the pitch and lateraled it back across the field for Maye to deliver his strike.
On the Browns' next drive, Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane called it even with Schwesinger, picking off Gabriel over the middle of the field and returning it 32 yards to set up first-and-goal for the Pats offense from the Browns 6-yard line.
Unlike the Browns, the Patriots actually capitalized on their own takeaway, as Maye darted it to Stefon Diggs on a slant on third-and goal for the veteran receiver's first touchdown of the season. Midway through the third quarter, the Patriots had suddenly built a 23-7 lead.
The Browns showed some aggression on their ensuing drive, but it didn't pay off for them. Just one play after Cleveland had converted a fourth-and-1 from their own 24-yard line, Gabriel chucked a first-and-10 deep ball that Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins brought down for a one-handed interception, his second of the season.
Once again, the Patriots cashed in on the turnover. Maye got the Patriots over midfield with a scramble up the middle that he took for 28 yards and a safe slide, then dropped it in the bucket to Boutte in the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown. Just like that, Maye had thrown three touchdown passes, and the Patriots' first-half struggles had become a distant memory as they extended their lead to 30-7.
Cleveland went for it on fourth-and-11 early in the fourth quarter, but Gabriel's attempt fell incomplete for a turnover on downs. The Patriots couldn't take advantage, as they went three-and-out for the first time since the second quarter. Punter Bryce Baringer shanked it for only 15 yards, gifting the Browns a short field, and Gabriel was able to cash in this time, hitting tight end David Njoku for a touchdown. However, their sneaky-important 2-point conversion attempt failed, keeping it a three-possession game at 30-13.
The Patriots didn't close the game particularly well. A Diggs pass interference penalty set them back, and they needed a defensive PI call to make up for it. Henderson fumbled the ball mere yards away from the end zone. The Browns were backed up and Gabriel committed intentional grounding in his own end zone, resulting in a safety, but the Browns recovered the ensuing onside kick after Hooper misplayed the bounce.
That's when the hope would finally end for the Browns. Gabriel's fourth-and-15 pass went for only six yards, giving it back to the Patriots, and the home team ran the clock out from there. Reserve running back Terrell Jennings put together a few strong carries to help the Pats put the game on ice.
Up Next: The Patriots will stay in Foxborough and look to keep rolling in Week 9, when they take on the Atlanta Falcons in an inter-conference matchup.
