Patriots Fall in NFL Power Rankings Despite Week 8 Win

The New England Patriots were able to come away with a big win this past weekend, taking down the Miami Dolphins.

While the win over Miami wasn't the prettiest, a win is a win at this point in the season for this team. New England was also dealing with all sorts of injuries to the offense, with the team only having a few available pass-catchers to work with.

Quarterback Drake Maye was forced to put the Patriots on his back in the game, shouldering the load for the team. Maye finished the game by throwing for 199 yards and two touchdowns, helping his team get the win.

The third-year signal-caller found a way to win the game, which is all the Patriots can ask from him each week. Given all the injuries that New England had to overcome, it was an impressive outing for Maye.

New England now sits with a record of 5-3 on the year, with the team finally putting it together after a tough start. The Patriots understand that they can be better going forward, but the win over the Dolphins could help build some real momentum for the rest of the season.

Even though the Patriots did get the win this past week, the team fell in the latest edition of NFL Power Rankings from Bleacher Report. New England went from being ranked in the top 10 at No. 9, falling to No. 11 after Week 8.

For the Patriots, they may need Maye to continue playing the hero as the season goes on, especially if the injuries don't clear up. This offense has seen multiple players go down this season, and it's fully impacted how strong of a team New England can field.

Luckily for the Patriots, Maye has done well this year after a slow start, picking up where he left off from a year ago. So far, Maye has thrown for 1,983 yards with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season.

The key for Maye will be to keep the turnovers down, giving the Patriots a much better chance to win games. If he can make this happen, New England can easily become a contender in the AFC again this season.

The Patriots will be hosting a game against the Green Bay Packers this coming week, giving them a challenge. Green Bay has been playing better of late as well, with both teams trying to keep things going strong.