After a grueling battle filled with offensive mistakes and a sudden weather change, the New England Patriots are on their way to the Super Bowl. The game was back and forth all day, but in the end, the Patriots did just enough to beat the Denver Broncos 10-7. Due to the weather, quarterback Drake Maye completed only 10 passes, but on the ground, he was excellent, especially on one play that decided the game.
Drake Maye Admits Secret Kept From Patriots Offense on Game-Sealing Play
In the Patriots’ massive win, Maye finished with 86 passing yards, a 47.6% completion rate, zero passing touchdowns, and zero interceptions. As mentioned, that was not where he made the difference in the victory. Maye rushed 10 times for 65 yards and one touchdown.
If not for Maye’s ability to escape pressure, there was a real chance the Patriots would have lost the game. Instead, they are headed to the Super Bowl, and one play in particular is the reason they can say that.
Late in the game, with 1:56 left in the fourth quarter, the Patriots faced third-and-6. If the Broncos had stopped the offense, they would have gotten the ball back with a chance to tie or win the game. Instead, after faking the handoff, Maye ran to the outside. The only player left to stop him was Broncos defensive lineman Jonah Ellis, but Maye was just fast enough to pick up the first down.
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It was an extremely smart play by the Patriots, but Maye was the only person who knew he was going to run. After the game, Patriots center Garrett Bradbury revealed that Maye did not tell anyone in the huddle that he was going to keep the ball and take off.
Maye said after the game, per Bradbury: “I debated telling you guys if I was gonna (keep) it or not. But I just decided not to.”
Drake Maye called his own number on the game-sealing naked. It wasn’t called a naked and nobody in the huddle knew. Madness. https://t.co/NJWvrkbP7s pic.twitter.com/uyc68Z1Urj
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 26, 2026
Even without the remarkable play that sealed the game, Maye has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season and is an MVP candidate. Just two years into his NFL career, Maye has already produced a defining moment, and if the Patriots win the Super Bowl, it will be remembered for a long time.
The Patriots will face the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks in two weeks, and if Maye can rise to the moment again, New England could be on its way to winning a seventh Super Bowl.
