7 takeaways as the Patriots erase a two-score deficit to beat the Ravens

After blowing a 21-point lead to the Buffalo Bills last week, much of the last seven days was spent talking about if and how this Patriots team could handle adveristy in a big spot. On Sunday night they had a chance to answer some of the questions they left open ended last week against the Baltimore Ravens - and did so in a big way.

While the Patriots didn't have the big lead they did against the Bills the game was close early. Then, they did find themselves in a spot that's been rare this year - a 10-point deficit with less than 10 minutes to go in the game.

What followed was the team's first major comeback of the year. They scored two touchdowns in the final 10 minutes, on their way to a 28-24 win. With the win the Patriots clinch a playoff spot - their first since 2021.

What put them over the top? Let's dig into the comeback and more in this week's takeaways...

Late in the third quarter, it felt like the game was started to get away from the Patriots. Down 17-13 on their own side of the field they ran a fake punt on a 4th & 10, which failed when the player Marte Mapu was supposed to throw the ball to failed to get open. With a short field ahead of them the Ravens quickly marched, scoring to go up 24-13 with just under 13 minutes to go.

The Patriots responded in a way they couldn't last week - with back-to-back monster scoring drives. On their first, they went 73 yards on seven playsin 3:49. That drive ended with a quick strike, as Drake Maye dropped one in the bucket to Kyle Williams for a 37-yard touchdown pass.

Now, it was the defense's turn. After allowed back-to-back touchdowns the group stiffened up, and allowed just one first down before a Baltimore punt, which pinned the Patriots at their own 11-yard line.

In response, Maye and the Patriots put together what might have been their drive of the year to this point. Initially it looked to be a quick one, but after a non-call defensive pass interference on a deep ball to Kayshon Boutte (more on that in a bit) the team didn't waver. Maye led the offense 89 yards in eight plays and 2:55, with Rhamondre Stevenson punching in the go-ahead score.

Still, the Patriots needed one more stop with the Ravens still having all three timeouts and the two-minue warning. They got it, as two plays into the ensuing drive K'Lavon Chaisson forced a fumble that effectively ended the game.

Just like last week, play disparity played a big role - but the roles were reversed. The Patriots ran 71 offensive snaps to Baltimore's 54, including a 22-8 split over the final 13 minutes. They were able to wear down the Baltimore defense, which showed once it came time to run down the clock after that final turnover.

Against a veteran team that had leaned on them all night (even after Lamar Jackson got hurt), the Patriots were able to turn around and really flip a game for the first time this year. It likely won't be the last time they need to, but it was timely given the way last week's game ended.

The Patriots managed that despite dealing with a run of injuries in the game. Boutte (head), along with fellow wide receiver DeMario Douglas (hamstring), running back TreVeyon Henderson (head), defensive linemen Khyiris Tonga (foot) and Joshua Farmer (hamstring), and cornerback Charles Woods (ankle) all left the game with injury designations. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs and tackles Morgan Moses and Thayer Munford also left the game but later returned.

Maye led the way for that fourth quarterback. In the final frame he was 12-of-14 for 139 yards and a touchdown, and added 18 yards on two carries on the ground. With that performance, he picked up a fourth quarter comeback - another common talking point around his resume - as well. In the process he picked up his first career 300-yard game, a long-awaited milestone.

In total Maye finished 31-of-44 for 380 yards with two touchdowns. It wasn't always perfect - he had his third multi-turnover game of the year with both an interception and a fumble lost. The two he had in this game were big - a red zone interception and a fumble on the plus side of the field during a two-minute drill took two field goal opportunities off the board. But his ability to bounce back from those errors to lead the team in the fourth quarter feels notable, given at times he's struggled to recover after a major mistake in a game.

Maye accomplished that despite seeing some of the worst pass protection he has all year. Some of that was due to injuries (more on that in a bit), but he was under pressure for about half of his dropbacks. Maye's ability to move in the pocket but remain a passer is something that has continuously improved throughout the season, and served him well in this one.

Maye's two top targets in this game were Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins. Last week there were questions about where Diggs was at after multiple quiet games in a row, but he came through in a big way in primeimte. He caught nine passes for 138 yards, and converted eight first downs. A lot of that damage came after the catch as well. With Diggs playing like that it's tough to play man against this Patriots' offense, and forcing teams into zone will create more opportunities for Maye big picture.

As for Hollins he was a security blanket as Maye was trying to find his rhtyhm early. One play that stands out - on a 3rd & 13 early in the second quarter Maye hit Hollins deep over the middle to convert a first down. Maye's throw was high as he was dealing with presssure, and Hollins went full extension in the middle of the field to make the catch over his head. That shows tremendous trust from both parties, given the kind of contact that can be lurking in that part of the field.

One of the bright spots for the Patriots last week - at least in the first half - was the running game. That continued into this one - despite being shorthanded.

Rhamondre Stevenson continues to look as healthy as he has in a few years. He was both quick and explosive in this game, carrying the ball eight times for 51 yards, including the game-winning 21-yard touchdown run. He also had a 23-yard catch-and-run that saw him make defenders miss in space. That build on a strong performance last week, and one that the Patriots will need to keep turning to, especially once the playoffs begin.

Most of the workload fell on Stevenson's shoulders, after Henderson left the game early with a head injury. His status will be one to monitor down the stretch, as the Patriots continue to deal with injuries at the running back position.

Poor officiating has been a storyline throughout this NFL season, for all teams. But one call - or non-call - in Sunday night's game was among the worst we've seen.

On the fourth play of what ended up being that 89-yard touchdown drive, Maye delivered a deep strike to Boutte that was on target. Before the ball got there Marlon Humphrey had his arms wrapped around Boutte, and even tugged his jersey while falling to the ground. Boutte still had a chance to catch the ball but dropped it after hitting his head on the turf (he left the game with a concussion after this play), but it still looked like the Patriots were going to be set up inside the 10 yard line.

Yet, no flag was thrown. The officials did not rule the play pass interference, despite what appeared to be an obvious call. Despite the contact, it sounds like head coach Mike Vrabel wasn't given a clear answer on why.

"Here’s what the explanation I got. ‘You have to survive the ground,'" Vrabel shared postgame. 'Survive the ground' relates to the ruling on what is or isn't a catch, so the officially seemingly acted as though Vrabel was wondering why it was ruled incomplete, not why there wasn't a flag. "I said, ‘I’m very aware of the catch rule.’ But, that’s all I got,” Vrabel added.

Credit to the Patriots, they didn't flinch. They responded with the long touchdown drive, and in a way the non-call probably ended up helping them as more time ran off the clock compared to if they'd been awarded that chunk of penalty yards. Still, in a season that has unfortunatley been highlighted by bad calls at times, this one might be at the top of the list.

One area where the Patriots didn't improve from last week? Stopping the run. In particualr Derrick Henry was a major issue. Even once Lamar Jackson went out and the Ravens' offense became more one-dimentional Henry didn't slow down.

Henry ran the ball nine times for 72 yards after Jackson went out, and after scoring his second touchdown early in the fourth quarter that put the Ravens up 11 points, he had 18 carries for 128 yards and two scores. A dominant performance through 48 minutes.

Luckily for the Patriots, he wouldn't touch the ball again. Despite Baltimore needing to run out the clock they never gave the ball back to Henry at any point in the fourth quarter. It was one of the first things Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was asked about postgame.

"Henry was coming back in the game,” Harbaugh explained. “We had Keaton [Mitchell, backup running back] start the game. Derrick and Keaton had talked about that. Keaton had started the other drive and then Derrick came in and finished it off, so it was part of that rotation. He was going back in the game and then we got stopped.”

"Looking back, would I rather have Derrick starting the drive? Yeah,“ Harbaugh added when pressed on the issue. ”But Derrick was kind of ready for Keaton to start that drive and he was planning on coming in next. So they were working that rotation. You look back on it and I think it’s pretty easy to say, ‘Hey, he should have been in there or shouldn’t have been in there.’ But we’re rotating those guys throughout the game as two backs. But yeah, game-winning drive, do I want Derrick Henry on the field? Sure, I do want him on the field."

Big picture though the Patriots can't count on their opponents 'rotating' out their best backs every week, and the run defense still needs to improve. The good news is they can get some personnel help soon - Milton Williams is eligible to return from IR this week (the Patriots' first practice of the week is on Tuesday). His absense is when the run defense really fell off. Robert Spillane is another player to watch, whose presence was missed on Sunday night.

One other area where the Patriots' defense struggled was against Zay Flowers. Smaller, shifty speed receivers have given the Patriots trouble all year, and Flowers is one of the best in the game. He caught all seven of his targets going for 84 yards, and ran in an 18-yard touchdown on an end around as well.

For most of the game, the Patriots stuck with Christian Gonzalez or Carlton Davis on Flowers. In future matchups against similar receivers who they may see in the playoffs, it would be interesting to see if Marcus Jones would draw that assignment.

However, the Patriots did make Flowers pay late. On what ended up being his final catch of the game, Chaisson chased him down from behind and punched the ball out as he was trying to make other defenders miss. Marcus Jones recovered, and the Ravens never got the ball back.

One final spot where the Patriots got burned badly last week was kickoff coverage. On the Bills' first four kickoff returns their average starting field position was almost the 50 yard line.

How would the Patriots respond against an always-strong Ravens special teams unit? They simply chose to boot the ball for a touchback on four of their six kickoffs. That didn't open the door for a chance at a return.

There's pros and cons to this. While not allowing a return, with the new rules touchbacks come out to the 35-yard line. The Patriots may not want to always surrender that kind of field positions consistently in a game, so this may just be a short-term fix. On the plus side, the two kickoffs they did cover - the final two of the game - were both returned for less than 30 yards.