FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots hung on for a one-point win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, overcoming a stagnant second half and making enough plays down the stretch to preserve a 24-23 victory, their sixth-straight win of the 2025 season. The Pats move to 7-2 on the year as Mike Vrabel's squad continues to stack victories.

Drake Maye threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns, but also had an interception and was strip-sacked as Atlanta used the momentum off of turnovers to close a two-score gap. The Patriots were outscored 9-3 in the second half, but had piled up enough points to escape the Falcons late push.

Pop Douglas had 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Stefon Diggs added his second touchdown of the season. It was an all-around effort from the Pats, with TreVeyon Henderson filling in as the lead back for Rhamondre Stevenson and picking up 55 rushing yards and 32 receiving yards in a balanced effort.

Here's how the exciting game unfolded!

1. Pats Start Fast

The Patriots got the kind of start to the game that any team would welcome by forcing an initial three-and-out on defense, then taking the ball on a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open up a 7-0 lead.

The defense got an early boost from a second-down K'Lavon Chaisson sack that helped them get off the field on the first drive. Maye and the offense responded with a balanced first drive of their own, which included a new twist of defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga serving as a blocker to help pick up a conversion on 3rd-and-short.

That would be the only third down the Pats saw on their first drive, as Maye contributed a scramble of 12 yards, then, two downs later, hit TreVeyon Henderson with a short pass that Henderson turned into a 19-yard gain. Maye wrapped the drive with another downfield strike, this one a perfectly placed 16-yard touchdown toss to DeMario Douglas for the early lead.

2. Falcons Take to the Air

After the two teams traded punts, the Falcons found their stride on offense on their third drive, which got off to a great start with Michael Penix hitting Kyle Pitts for 22 yards. They'd add plays of 16 yards to Drake London and 12 yards to Bijan Robinson before finishing the drive with a one-yard touchdown throw to London.

The drive took just five plays to go 53 yards as the Falcons picked up chunk plays with both the downfield passing game and some quick passes. New England was well prepared to key off of Robinson on the first two drives, but as Penix took to the air, the Falcons quickly went down the field and scored their first points of the game.

3. Relentless Drive Gives Pats Back Lead

The Patriots responded to the tie game with an all-around impressive drive that included two conversions on 3rd-and-longs. Maye took two first-down sacks along the way, but his connection with Hunter Henry was too good, as the tight end came through with key catches on 3rd-and-10 and 3rd-and-7 to keep the offense on the field and moving toward the end zone. Austin Hooper chipped in a 20-yard catch of his own, but it was running back Terrell Jennings who finished it off, first with an 11-yard carry down to the three-yard line and then a three-yard carry for his first career NFL touchdown. Though rookie TreVeyon Henderson saw the bulk of the work, Jennings was involved with Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined with a toe injury suffered last week.

It was a relentless 12-play, 65-yard drive with a little bit of everything, even some adversity, that gave New England back a 14-7 lead.

4. Pats Keep Rolling

New England's defense didn't allow a repeat of the Falcons scoring drive, quickly getting off the field with a three-and-out after New England retook the lead. However, Maye and the Patriots offense picked up exactly where they left off, executing another scoring drive. The pivotal play came on the only third down of the drive, with Maye placing another perfect downfield strike into the outstretched arms of Pop Douglas for a 58-yard gain. Douglas continues to emerge as a downfield threat this season, proving he's more than just a quick-open slot receiver.

Two plays later, Stefon Diggs would make a catch a few yards outside the end zone and turn in some nifty running to pick up his second touchdown of the year. That made it 21-7 New England with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.

5. Fumble Gets Atlanta Back In It

It looked like the Patriots were going to escape the first half by only allowing seven points when they got a fourth-down stop with under two minutes to go to end a threatening Falcons drive that made it all the way to the Patriots 29-yard line.

On New England's ensuing drive, where they stayed aggressive despite having the chance to just run the clock out, they committed the first turnover of the game. Drake Maye was strip-sacked and James Pearce picked up the ball and had a clear path to the end zone if not for an excellent effort by Will Campbell to make the tackle from behind. But it still set up the Falcons on the Patriots six-yard line, and it would take just two plays for them to cash in, this time with another score to Drake London.

Just as New England looked like they were about to run away with it in the first half, a turnover quickly got Atlanta back into the game. It was 21-14 New England at the break.

6. Pats Add Three

Despite the sloppy ending to the first half, Maye and the Patriots offense came out of the locker room in the third quarter and strung together their longest scoring drive of the day. It was a good way to keep Atlanta from seizing more of the momentum. The Pats weren't able to crack the end zone, instead settling for three points from a 32-yard Andy Borregales field goal, but they were able to execute 15 plays on the drive, eating up over eight minutes of game clock and reestablishing a two-score lead. Maye picked up the only third-down conversion of the drive with his legs while Pop Douglas chipped in another key catch and Hunter Henry added a 14-yard reception along the way.

New England led 24-14 midway through the third quarter.

7. Maye Picked

Maye's turnover problems continued after the Patriots defense forced their third three-and-out of the day. The Pats offense would start their next drive with their best field position of the day, at their own 48, as they looked to extend their two-score lead. But two plays later, Maye and Henry were on different pages and Maye's pass flew into the diving arms of Falcons centerfield safety Jessie Bates. It was Maye's second turnover of the day and gave the Falcons a much-needed opportunity to close within a score.

Atlanta would make it all the way to the Patriots 20-yard line, but that's where the Patriots stopped them, holding the Falcons to a Parker Romo field goal that made it 24-17, New England. It was a needed red zone stop from a Patriots red zone defense that came into the game ranked 31st in the NFL.

8. Falcons Continue to Surge

The Patriots offense could not respond after Atlanta closed the gap to seven points. They'd pick up a first down thanks to a great 21-yard pass to Stefon Diggs, but the drive faltered near midfield, and New England would punt it back to the Falcons.

Penix and his offense continued their hot streak, moving the ball down the field with a nice mix of runs and passes. The big play came from Drake London, who picked up a 40-yard reception. Atlanta stayed aggressive on the drive after being stopped on 3rd-and-4, picking up a conversion on 4th-and-4 inside the Patriots red zone. They'd again go for in on 4th-and-goal from the eight-yard line with just 4:44 left in the game.

Once again, Drake London came through with the catch, his third touchdown of the game. It looked like the game was about to be tied but Romo's extra point sailed wide, preserving a one-point lead for the Patriots, 24-23. It was an epic drive in clutch time by the Falcons, lasting 12 plays and going 85 yards with the game hanging in the balance.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, one bad kick cost them a tie game. Just over 4:34 remained as Maye and the Patriots offense took the field looking to close the game out after a stagnant second half in which they had only managed three points to that point.

But it was a quick three-and-out for New England. With 3:30 left Atlanta's offense retook the field, down by just a point.

9. Pats Defense Makes a Stand, Offense Seals It

Once again, Atlanta started to move the ball in crunch time with London delivering a 26-yard catch to take the Falcons out to midfield quickly. That's where the Patriots made a stand, with Milton Williams' pressure forcing an intentional grounding penalty that backed the Falcons up, costing them critical yardage as they sat on the edge of field goal range.

That set up a 3rd-and-20 from the Falcons 42-yard line but Penix's pass fell incomplete and Atlanta was forced to punt with 2:03 left.

Maye and the offense took over with 1:53 left with the chance to close out the game, needing just a single first down to seal it. A Jennings run on first down picked up three yards, then he picked up two more yards on second down to set up a deciding 3rd-and-5 from the Patriots 25-yard line.

Maye found Hunter Henry on the play for 17 yards to seal the one-point win.

10. Patriots are now 7-2

It wasn't as easy of a victory for the Patriots as they had been in recent weeks. The two turnovers gave Atlanta new life and they pushed the Patriots to the brink with a solid second half. But ultimately, it boiled down to two plays: the intentional grounding that stalled the Falcons' final drive and the third-down conversion to Henry that allowed Maye to take the victory formation.

It's New England's sixth-straight win, their longest win streak since 2021, raising the Patriots record to 7-2. There will be plenty to learn from this hard-fought contest, as the Patriots now set their sights on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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