Foxborough, MA – The Patriots escaped with a 24-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium, and that one was a nail-biter.

Welcome back to the world where messy wins are below standard, a great problem for a good football team. Nobody is hanging the last 31 minutes in the Louvre for QB Drake Maye and the Patriots. The MVP candidate was cooking in the first half, and had the ball at the 50-yard line with a 21-7 lead late in the second quarter with New England set to receive the second-half kickoff. At that point, it felt like the game was just about over.

Then, Maye was strip-sacked by first-rounder Jalen Walker, a game-altering play that led directly to a Falcons touchdown that made it 21-14 at the half. From that point on, it never felt like the Patriots had complete control of the game, even though they took a double-digit lead once again in the third quarter. Maye looked mortal for the first time in over a month, showing signs of hesitation following the sack-fumble and a second-half interception. It was a reminder that the 23-year-old QB is still developing in just his second season.

"Give our guys credit for battling back when we had to. It wasn't great there. We had our spurts. We had our moments. But we need to take care of the football and be better defensively in the red zone. That's been our issue, and they made some good plays down there, but we've got to be better in the red zone," head coach Mike Vrabel said. "It's a funny league, and we're going to learn from winning so that we don't have to learn from losing about taking care of the ball and complementary football and how quickly things can change."

Although that's the glass-half-empty view, the glass-half-full recap is that the Patriots won a game against a talented Falcons team with their B or C-game. Despite not playing his best, Maye's 259 passing yards are the most Atlanta's defense has allowed this season. The Patriots coaches and players weren't satisfied with their performance, with the post-game mood being more subdued compared to the recent blowout wins: the Patriots know they need to play better and can play better.

Next week, the Patriots travel to Tampa Bay to play a Bucs team (6-2) on their bye in Week 9. The trip to central Florida will test how well New England can turn surviving a close win into a better performance. Oh, how far we've come, lamenting mistakes after wins. From this perspective, that's a sign that the Patriots are back to being AFC contenders.

Here are eight takeaways as the Patriots improve to 7-2 with a win over the Falcons on Sunday.

1. Play of the Game: QB Drake Maye Drops Dime on 17-Yard TD to WR DeMario Douglas

Although it wasn't perfect, the Patriots offense still had some Maye and OC Josh McDaniels magic on Sunday.

New England capped off a 10-play opening TD drive with a beautiful pass that Maye dropped to WR DeMario Douglas in the bucket. McDaniels schemed up a shot play from the high red zone, anticipating that the Falcons would play a combination coverage (zone front side, man backside).

The Falcons like to run combination coverages within their zone coverage calls, where the passing strength (three-receiver side) is zoned off while the backside matches routes in man. New England picked on that tendency by lining up WR DeMario Douglas in the backfield to hunt a matchup on a linebacker. The Pats get what they want, with EDGE Jalon Walker dropping out of the rush into coverage on Douglas, and the Patriots wideout wins that matchup every time while Maye drops a dime.

"I'm in the backfield. We know they kind of go man here and there. So, me in the backfield, I could line up with the linebacker. So, Coach [Josh] McDaniels did a great job of scheming that play up. As I come off, I see a D-end on me. That might be a backer lined up at the end. As soon as I saw him try to connect with me, I just ran past him, but that's a good play called by Coach McDaniels," Douglas said post-game.

The first-quarter touchdown catch was one of four for Douglas, who had his first career 100-yard receiving game. Douglass has had a smaller role than some anticipated, but the third-year wideout added that he's "trusting the process" while finding his niche in the offense.

Douglas also played Sunday's game with a heavy heart due to a death, something he shared with childhood friend and teammate, Terrell Jennings. Despite playing with heavy hearts, Douglas and Jennings both scored touchdowns in Sunday's win, which was a cool moment for them.

2. QB Drake Maye Says He Needs to 'Play Better' Following Up and Down Performance

If this is his floor as a second-year quarterback, it's pretty remarkable for Maye, who still played winning football for large stretches of Sunday's victory against a stingy Falcons pass defense.

Although he turned the ball over twice, Maye extended his streak of having 200-plus passing yards and a 100-plus passer rating to eight games, tying the second-longest streak in NFL history within a season. The Patriots quarterback went 19-of-29 for 259 passing yards, 20 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and two turnovers (interception, fumble). Due to the mixed results, Maye was hard on himself after the game.

"I've got to play better for this team down the road. It's tough in a game where you win, and you can feel in that locker room that these guys know we can play better. I think it's a good feeling to have, but also at the same time it's tough to win in this league, so you've got to enjoy it," Maye said. There's so many things to learn from this game, and I'm just proud of this team for -- it doesn't matter if it's 24-23 or 3-2. Proud we got the win."

In the advanced metrics, Maye added +0.02 expected points (42nd percentile) with a 64% drop-back success rate on third down (91st percentile). The Pats QB was still money on third down, and the big plays were there against a pass defense that came in allowing just 11 explosives all year. Atlanta allowed 1.5 pass plays over 20-plus yards per game in their first seven games. On Sunday, the Patriots doubled that average with three chunk plays.

One of those explosive plays was to Douglas when the Patriots ran a downfield crossing concept often called the Yankee concept. Typically, you want to call this play against man coverage so the crossing routes can run away from man-to-man, and the Patriots get what they want. This time, Pop runs a deep crosser intersecting with WR Stefon Diggs, and Douglas runs away from Falcons CB Dee Alford and gets loose in the open field for a 58-yarder.

As for his two turnovers, Maye said it best when he noted that he has to protect the ball better rather than trying to make a "hero" play by trying to shed the tackler on the Falcons strip-sack.

Atlanta ran a T/E stunt over the right side that gets home when RG Mike Onwenu is slow to react to the schemed rush. Walker comes through around Onwenu, and Maye tries to stiff-arm the Falcons pass rusher rather than living to see another day. The Falcons then scooped up the fumble, returning it to the NE 6, setting up their second touchdown.

As for the interception, it appeared that Maye wasn't on the same page with TE Hunter Henry. The quarterback seemed to think that Henry would sit into the zone void over the middle of the field, but Henry continued running across the field when he saw the post-safety coverage. Typically, the receiver splits the seams against two-high safety coverages and continues across vs. a single-high safety zone. Based on that rule of thumb, it appears that Henry read it correctly.

To their credit, Henry and Maye bounced back later to connect on a 17-yard gain on third-and-5 to put the game on ice. New England ran a double slant-flat to pick off the Falcons man coverage, and WR Mack Hollins executes the rub route on Falcons LB JD Bertrand to create an easy completion in the flat to Henry. Another great, low-risk play call by McDaniels in that situation to put the Patriots in victory formation.

Again, the numbers suggest that the Falcons have one of the best pass defenses in football. Atlanta came into the game with the top-ranked pass defense in yards (149.1 YPG) and eighth in pass DVOA, so the Falcons were legitimate competition. On Sunday, there was some good and some bad from Maye, but he's setting a pretty high bar if this is his floor.

3. Patriots Defense Limits Falcons RB Bijan Robinson to 46 Rush Yards

Moving over to the other side of the ball, the Patriots defense continued their impressive streak by holding another star running back below 50 rushing yards in Sunday's win.

During the practice week, the Patriots simulated Falcons star RB Bijan Robinson with three different players on their scout team. On Friday, reporters saw three No. 7 jerseys being donned by scout-team players, with Vrabel saying Robinson reminded him of Hall of Fame RB Marshall Faulk, which is high praise. Although he contributed in other ways, Robinson rushed for 46 yards on 12 attempts, with only one run over 10 yards compared to three stuffed attempts.

New England's streak of nine games holding the opponent's top individual rusher below 50 yards is the second-longest such streak in the Super Bowl era. The Patriots did so by mostly using "box" mechanics where they set the edge of the defense on the line of scrimmage but also had a few reps with "spill" techniques against the Falcons outside runs, which means the play-side EDGE will crash down to force the ball carrier to bounce the run outside to the overlapping linebacker and force defender. It might look like the Patriots are vacating the edge, but that's how it's designed.

The run defense made the Falcons one-dimensional, allowing the Patriots pass rush to tee off on Atlanta QB Michael Penix in obvious passing situations. Penix was under pressure on 42.5% of his drop-backs, led by a team-high five total pressures from DT Milton Williams (pending review). By continuing to take away the opponents run game, the Patritos defense is turning every contest into a drop-back passing game, which they'll take.

If this was Vrabel's "bullseye" game plan, an ode to the Patriots plan in Super Bowl 36 vs. Faulk, it mostly worked. Robinson had 20 touches for 96 scrimmage yards, his third-lowest total of the season, while averaging just 4.8 yards per touch – you'll take that if you're the Patriots defense.

4. CB Christian Gonzalez and Co. Exchange Haymakers vs. Falcons WR Drake London

On Sunday, the other marquee matchup was New England's top cornerback tandem against Falcons WR Drake London, who is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season for Atlanta.

First, London is a terrific contested catch receiver with enough wiggle to separate at the first two levels to complement his downfield and red-zone prowess at the catch point. There wasn't much the Patriots defenders could do on London's 40-yard jump ball or his third touchdown catch, a one-and-a-half hand grab along the sideline – gotta tip your cap.

Although he had the hat-trick and a 40-yard catch vs. Gonzalez, the Patriots All-Pro corner shadowed London on 20 routes and had some notable wins. Gonzalez blanketed London three times on man coverage targets, with the Falcons wideout going 0-for-3, with a key fourth-down pass breakup on a slant that stopped an Atlanta drive in scoring territory. Although he briefly left the game, Gonzalez was prepared to re-enter the game, but the Patriots offense converted a third down to end it. Gonzalez also spoke to reporters at the podium following the game saying he was fine, which is a good sign for his health.

Over the last few weeks, the Patriots have been using Gonzalez to shadow the opponent's top wideout, with Gonzo covering London and Browns WR Jerry Jeudy in the last two games. From this perspective, that's a positive development for Gonzalez post-hamstring injury and for the coaching staff, who is starting to play more of that "cat coverage" Vrabel spoke about. On Sunday, Penix was 1-of-7 for 25 passing yards vs. man coverage outside the red zone, a step in the right direction for the Pats defense that will hopefully lead to more man coverage moving forward.

5. Rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson Takes Over Lead-Back Role vs. Falcons

Another storyline heading into Sunday's game was how the Patriots would distribute the snaps at running back without lead-back Rhamondre Stevenson (inactive due to a toe injury).

After sitting out practice all week, it's unclear how long Stevenson will be out as he recovers from a toe injury, which raises questions about whether the Pats will add a running back before Tuesday's trade deadline (Nov. 4 at 4 pm ET). On Saturday, New England elevated RB D'Ernest Johnson from the practice squad, but it was all Henderson and Terrell Jennings in the Pats backfield, with Henderson getting the majority of the work (51 snaps, 75%).

The Patriots ran successfully between the tackles, an area of noted weakness in the Falcons run defense. Henderson and Jennings combined for 4.2 yards per rush with nine successful inside runs. Eventually, that opened up the edges for three successful outside runs by Henderson. Jennings was also solid in short-yardage, with a 100% success rate on late-down runs and a goal-line touchdown – it got the job done without Stevenson.

6. WR Stefon Diggs Scores Second Touchdown with the Patriots

Stefon Diggs has been a huge value add in multiple ways for New England this season, drawing coverage as the top-dog in the passing game and bringing much-needed leadership to the Patriots wide receiver room. On Sunday, he caught three passes for 38 yards and a score, including a 21-yard dot from Maye to move the chains on third-and-long, and tied former Falcons WR Julio Jones as the fifth-faster player in NFL history to reach the 900-reception mark, doing so in just 153 games.

On his touchdown catch, Maye appears to be reading the left side of the field first where Henry tried to separate on an option route that converted into a slant. The Falcons do a nice job of covering Henry, so Maye patiently comes off his tight end to his third read in the progression: Diggs. Diggs is running a "spot" route over the middle of the field, sitting down underneath the defense as a safety valve for Maye. After catching the ball at the eight-yard line, Diggs jukes one defender and dives in for the score, gaining 4.7 yards after the catch over expectation.

Diggs has been a consummate pro since arriving to Foxborough as a free agent signing and has been just what the doctor ordered as a star veteran receiver in the Patriots offense.

7. O-Line Battles with Falcons Blitzes, NT Khyiris Tonga Short-Yardage Wrinkle

Entering the week, the Falcons defense had a league-high blitz rate (48.1%), turning up the heat even more on Maye by blitzing the Patriots young quarterback 25 times (62.5%). As a result, Maye was under pressure on 40% of his drop-backs. On initial viewing, the Patriots two guards and starting RT Morgan Moses had some issues passing off Atlanta's blitz stunts. According to live charting, RG Mike Onwenu and LG Jared Wilson gave up a sack each and three total pressures, with Onwenu being on the scene for the strip-sack in the second quarter.

Although the pass protection was a back-and-forth battle, the Patriots unveiled a nice short-yardage wrinkle this week. When a player is named a game captain, Vrabel shows the players' high school and college highlights in a team meeting. NT Khyiris Tonga's cutup included some blocking highlights, which OC Josh McDaniels noted. McDaniels then approached Tonga about being a short-yardage blocker, and they finally used that package on Sunday. Tonga came in motion and helped clear a path for Jennings to convert a 3rd-and-1. From this vantage point, Tonga's rep on offense shows great attention to detail from this coaching staff.

8. K Andy Borregales Stays Hot, Pats Use WR Efton Chism III and RB D'Ernest Johnson on Kick Returns

The Patriots rookie kicker continued his hot streak by making all four of his kicks, three extra points and a 32-yard field goal. Interestingly, Falcons K Parker Romo, whom Borregales beat out for New England's kicker job in camp, missed an extra point that would've tied the game. P Bryce Baringer also boomed a huge 61-yard punt to flip field position late, while the Patriots used WR Efton Chism III and Johnson as their primary kick returners. New England wants to get at least the 30-yard line on kick returns, which Chism only did once, with a 32-yard return wiped out by a holding penalty (Tavai). The kickoff return hasn't been a dynamic play for the Patriots since losing RB Antonio Gibson – a sneaky area to improve.

Overall, there's plenty to clean up for the coaching staff this week, but the Patriots are back to having these first-world problems in the NFL, a testament to the progress this team has made.

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer