The New England Patriots might just have reason for optimism again.
Five years after Tom Brady played his last game in a Patriots uniform and three seasons after rookie Mac Jones led them to their only playoff appearance since Brady left, Drake Maye awakened the New England offense against the Houston Texans.
It wasn’t nearly enough: The Patriots lost 41-21, their fifth straight defeat. But the 21 points was the most they had scored all season, and Maye also threw for more yards and more touchdowns than Jacoby Brissett had in any of the first five games.