Drake Maye shrugged off a scary third-quarter crash into the turf and made light of a quick concussion check as the New England Patriots rolled to a 31-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Maye, the 23-year-old starting quarterback, slammed the back of his head on the turf after being brought down by Titans cornerback Roger McCreary. He left the field briefly for a sideline evaluation but returned just four plays later and helped set up a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown on the next drive. Maye told reporters after the game, “Yeah, just landed awkward and felt all right.”
The speed of Maye’s return drew immediate social-media skepticism, with fans questioning whether the concussion protocol was handled thoroughly after what appeared to be a hard hit. Clips of Maye entering and exiting the evaluation tent circulated quickly, fuelling debate over how quickly he was cleared.
On the field, Maye kept plugging away. He completed 21 of 23 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with a stellar 91.3 completion percentage that topped a franchise mark previously held by Tom Brady. The efficient outing helped the Patriots build a 28-point cushion by the third quarter and sealed their fourth straight victory.
New England’s offense controlled the line of scrimmage, piling up 387 total yards (212 passing, 175 rushing) while the defense made momentum swings, including a K’Lavon Chaisson scoop-and-score that turned the game in the Patriots’ favor. Tennessee managed a brief early lead but couldn’t sustain drives once New England found its rhythm.
Coach Mike Vrabel, coaching in Nashville against his former team, stayed measured after the game. The focus in the Patriots’ locker room remained on execution and health: Maye’s willingness to speak plainly about the hit and the team’s decision to let him return tempered some concern. The Patriots QB suffered a concussion last year that kept him out for some time, and fans just don’t want to see a repeat of that.
