Until now, the New England Patriots hadn't put up 30-plus points in a regular-season game in 2026. That changed in Week 5, drastically, when they dropped 45 points in what was Drake Maye's best performance so far this season.

The Patriots beat the now 3-2 Las Vegas Raiders in dominant fashion. Drake Maye stepped onto the field in his red-and-white Pat Patriot throwback uniform without a WR1, but that wasn't a problem. Maye threw for 374 yards and five touchdowns.

Defensively, the Patriots pass rush did what we hoped for, with a four-person rush that put Kirk Cousins in a panic. Maybe it's the magic of having the 2001 roster in the building for a special ceremony, or maybe it's just Maye getting into a rhythm; either way, the Patriots may have found their stride in early October.

The only two remaining wide receivers on the Patriots' active roster who needed to make an impact were DeMario "Pop" Douglas and Kyle Williams. Both wideouts were poised for a big jump this year but have had minimal impact over the last four weeks.

With A.J. Brown still out and Mack Hollins now on IR, someone had to step up and give Maye options on the field. Douglas was wide open on two of Maye's touchdown throws, and he finished the day with 4 receptions for 65 yards.

Williams caught three passes for 91 yards and a beautiful touchdown catch in the second half that helped the Patriots begin to separate themselves from the Raiders. If this wide receiver group stays this good all season, imagine what adding A.J. Brown could do for this offense.

The Patriots' defensive injuries have mounted too, but no worries: Elijah Ponder is still healthy. The 2025 undrafted free agent had 4 tackles (2 solo), 2 sacks, 3 quarterback hits, and 1 forced fumble in Sunday's win at Gillette Stadium.

Ponder's breakout sophomore year has now led him to lead the team with 4.5 sacks. Beyond those sacks, his QB hits are making an impact too. With his 3 hits on Kirk Cousins this afternoon, Ponder now has 9 quarterback hits and 6 tackles for loss this season. His ability to penetrate plays on the edge has been key to the team's defensive success this week.

Ponder's contact with the quarterback can also generate turnovers that shift momentum and even turn into points. His career-high 2.0 sacks on Cousins were big, but he also stripped the ball in the second quarter, which got things moving for the Patriots. Much like in Week 2, he scooped up a fumble by Aaron Rodgers and ran it in for a 19-yard touchdown.

With the Raiders' wide receiver group banged up, Kirk Cousins likely would lean heavily on running back Ashton Jeanty, who was questionable a few days before the game.

With linebackers Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss filling the middle of the field, Jeanty could hardly move the ball. The Raiders rushed for only 38 yards on Sunday and averaged just 2.8 yards per carry.

Despite a 3-1 record coming into Sunday's game, the Raiders still seemed like "fool's gold," as mentioned on the Patriots Roundtable Podcast this past week. Head coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr exploited a ton of areas defensively against the Raiders' offense, which may have proven that. Keeping Las Vegas' offense sluggish and seeing Drake Maye sling it all afternoon is a perfect example of complementary football.

Follow Tyler for more Patriots content

Check out the Patriots Roundtable Podcast and like and subscribe

Patriots Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Patriots. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.