TEAM NOTES
- The Houston Texans won at Gillette Stadium for the first time.
- QB Drake Maye makes first NFL start.
- Maye's first career touchdown is a 40-yard completion.
- WR Kayshon Boutte scored his first NFL touchdown.
- WR DeMario Douglas scores first career TD and also sets career-high in receiving yards.
TEAM NOTES TEXANS WIN AT GILLETTE STADIUM FOR THE FIRST TIME
The Houston Texans beat the Patriots at Gillette Stadium for the first time. The Texans were 0-7 overall at Gillette Stadium with an 0-5 regular season record and an 0-2 postseason mark.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
DRAKE MAYE MAKES FIRST NFL START
Patriots 2024 first-round draft pick QB Drake Maye made his first NFL start and finished 20-of-33 for 243 yards with 3 touchdowns. Two of Maye's touchdown passes were for over 30 yards, recording 40- and 35yard touchdowns respectively.
MAYE THROWS FIRST NFL TOUCHDOWN
Maye completed his first touchdown on a 40-yard pass to WR Kayshon Boutte in the second quarter. It is the longest pass for the Patriots since a 48-yard pass play from QB Bailey Zappe to RB Kevin Harris in the second quarter at Buffalo on Dec. 31, 2023. It is the longest touchdown pass for New England since QB Mac Jones completed a 58-yard touchdown pass to TE Pharaoh Brown in the first quarter at the New York Jets on Sept. 24, 2023.
MAYE'S 40-YARD TD ON FIRST TD PASS IS SECOND LONGEST ON FIRST TD PASS BY A ROOKIE
QB Maye's 40-yard touchdown pass on his first career touchdown pass is the longest for a rookie Patriots quarterback on his first career touchdown pass since QB Drew Bledsoe's first career touchdown pass resulted in a 54-yard touchdown to TE Ben Coates on Sept. 5, 1993 vs. Buffalo.
MAYE BECOMES FOURTH PATRIOTS ROOKIE QB TO THROW 3 TDS IN A GAME
Maye became the fourth Patriots rookie quarterback to throw at least 3 touchdown passes in a single game, joining Drew Bledsoe, Jim Plunkett and Mac Jones.
PATRIOT ROOKIE QBS TO THROW AT LEAST 3 TOUCHDOWN PASSES IN A GAME
- 4 TDs Jim Plunkett vs. Buffalo (11/14/1971)
- 4 TDs Drew Bledsoe vs. Miami (1/2/1994)
- 3 TDs Mac Jones vs. Cleveland (11/14/2021)
- 3 TDs Mac Jones vs. Jacksonville (1/2/2022)
- 3 TDs Drake Maye vs. Houston (10/13/2024)
MAYE IS THE 14TH ROOKIE QB TO THROW FOR AT LEAST 3 TDS IN FIRST CAREER START
Maye became the 14th rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least three touchdowns in his first-career start, joining M.C. Reynolds (3), Jacky Lee (3), Dan Marino (3), Kevin Sweeney (3), Ed Rubbert (3), Todd Marinovich (3), Tony Banks (3), John Stofa (4), Josh Freeman (3), Matt McGloin (3), Marcus Mariota (4), Trevor Lawrence (3) and Will Levis (4) as the only rookie quarterbacks to accomplish the feat in their first-career start.
PATRIOTS QUARTERBACKS ARE 9-9 IN THEIR FIRST STARTS SINCE 1970
Since 1970, Patriots quarterbacks are 9-9 in their first career starts. Of those 18 quarterbacks, Jim Plunkett, Steve Grogan, Tony Eason, Bob Bleier, Tommy Hodson, Drew Bledsoe, Jacoby Brissett, Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe and Drake Maye made their first starts in their rookie seasons. QB Game Score Jim Plunkett Patriots vs. Oakland (9/19/71) 20-6 (W) Neil Graff Patriots vs. Houston (9/21/75) 0-7 (L) Steve Grogan Patriots at St Louis (11/2/75) 17-24 (L) Matt Cavanaugh Patriots vs. Baltimore (11/23/80) 47-21 (W) Tony Eason Patriots at N.Y. Jets (11/27/83) 3-26 (L) Tom Ramsey Patriots vs. Indianapolis (11/22/87) 24-0 (W) Bob Bleier Patriots vs. Cleveland (10/4/87) 10-20 (L) Tommy Hodson Patriots at Phoenix (11/25/90) 14-34 (L) Scott Zolak Patriots at Indianapolis (11/15/92) 37-24 (W) (OT) Drew Bledsoe Patriots at Buffalo (9/5/93) 14-38 (L) Scott Secules Patriots vs. Houston (10/17/93) 14-28 (L) Tom Brady Patriots vs. Indianapolis (9/30/01) 44-13 (W) Matt Cassel Patriots at NY Jets (9/14/08) 19-10 (W) Jimmy Garoppolo Patriots at Arizona (9/11/16) 23-21 (W) Jacoby Brissett Patriots vs. Houston (9/22/16) 27-0 (W) Mac Jones Patriots vs. Miami (9/12/21) 16-17 (L) Bailey Zappe Patriots vs. Detroit (10/9/22) 29-0 (W) Drake Maye Patriots vs. Houston (10/13/24) 21-41 (L)
FIRST TO THROW AT LEAST 3 TDS AND LEAD HIS TEAM IN RUSHING IN FIRST START SINCE AT LEAST 1950
Maye threw 3 touchdowns and led his team in rushing with 38 yards. He is the first quarterback to lead his team in rushing and throw for at least 3 touchdown passes in his first career start since at least 1950.
BOUTTE HAS FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION
WR Kayshon Boutte caught his first NFL touchdown when he was on the receiving end of a 40-yard touchdown pass from QB Drake Maye in the second quarter.
MARCUS JONES HAS HIS FIRST INTERCEPTION OF THE SEASON
CB Marcus Jones picked off a QB C.J. Stroud pass in the end zone after it was deflected by S Marte Mapu and returned it 35 yards to the New England 27-yard line the second quarter.
DOUGLAS HAS FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN
WR DeMario Douglas scored his first career touchdown on a 35-yard touchdown pass from QB Drake Maye in the fourth quarter.
DOUGLAS HAS A CAREER-HIGH IN RECEIVING YARDS
Douglas finished the game with a career-high 92 yards receiving on 6 receptions. His previous high was 84 yards receiving vs. Indianapolis on Nov. 12, 2023 in Frankfurt, Germany.
BARINGER EXTENDS STREAK
P Bryce Baringer extended his streak to 23-straight games with at least one 50-yard punt with a 55-yard punt in the second quarter. His 23-game streak is the longest current streak, with Indianapolis P Rigoberto Sanchez in second with a 22-game streak.
ELLISS AND MAPU SPLIT FIRST CAREER SACK
LB Christian Elliss and S Marte Mapu combined for a 9-yard sack on a third-down play in the second quarter, each registering their first career sack.
ELLISS TIES CAREER-HIGH IN SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES
Elliss recorded a special teams tackle on a second half punt for his seventh special teams tackle of the season, matching his career high. He had 7 special teams tackles in 2023 when he split the season between Philadelphia (5 special teams tackles) and New England (2 special teams tackles).
ROY RECORDS A SACK FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK
DT Jaquelin Roy had his second straight game with a sack after a 7-yard sack in the third quarter. He had his first NFL sack on a 5-yard sack of Miami QB Tyler Huntley in the third quarter.
KEION WHITE AND QB HITS
DE Keion White has had at least 1 quarterback hit in each of the first six games of the season after being credited with 1 quarterback hit against Houston. The most quarterback hits in a season by a New England player are the 28 quarterback hits by LB Matthew Judon during the 2022 season.
HENRY MOVES UP
TE Hunter Henry caught a 5-yard pass from QB Drake Maye in the second quarter to push his totals to 150 receptions as a member of the Patriots and become the eighth New England tight end to reach 150 receptions. Henry caught 3 passes and now has 152 receptions with the Patriots. Jim Whalen is seventh on the team's all-time list with 153 receptions. Henry finished with 41 receiving yards to move past Tony Romeo (1,724) into eighth place on the New England all-time list for tight ends. Marv Cook is in seventh place with 1,843 receiving yards.
LINEUP NOTES
- S Kyle Dugger returned to the starting lineup after missing the Miami game due to injury.
- LB Sione Takitaki made his debut with New England on the opening kickoff after being activated to the roster from the physically unable to perform list. He came into the game at linebacker for the first time in the second quarter.
- LS Tucker Addington was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad and played in his first game of the season in place of Joe Cardona.
- C Ben Brown made his debut in a Patriots uniform after being signed to the 53-man roster from the Las Vegas practice squad and made his first NFL start when he was in the starting lineup at center.
- Rookie free agent RB Terrell Jennings was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad and made his NFL debut on the opening kickoff. He saw action at running back in the third quarter. He had 5 rushing attempts for 13 yards.
- DL Deatrich Wise Jr. made his first start of the season.
- T Zach Thomas saw his first action for New England at left tackle in the second quarter when T Vederian Lowe left with an ankle injury.
