The New England Patriots beat the Las Vegas Raiders 45-17 on Sunday, October 11, behind a five-touchdown performance from quarterback Drake Maye and a second-half surge that turned Week 5 into a rout.
Maye threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score, according to ESPN’s game recap. New England’s official postgame coverage credited him with 399 passing yards, giving the Patriots their most productive offensive performance of the young season.
Maye accounts for five touchdowns
New England consistently created explosive plays through the air, and Maye’s production kept the Raiders from recovering once the Patriots began to pull away. His four passing scores spread the damage across the offense, while his rushing touchdown forced Las Vegas to defend the quarterback near the goal line as well.
Wide receiver DeMario Douglas scored twice, a performance he discussed during the team’s postgame show. His two touchdowns were part of an afternoon in which the Patriots repeatedly turned favorable situations into points instead of settling for field goals.
A close game becomes a blowout
The 28-point margin reflects how decisively New England controlled the later stages. Las Vegas managed 17 points, but the Raiders could not match the Patriots’ pace once Maye and the passing game found repeated openings.
New England’s official postgame program still identified penalties and other correctable mistakes, an important distinction from the final score. A dominant result can coexist with issues that matter against a more efficient opponent.
What the win changes
The victory moved New England to 3-2 and provided evidence that the offense can win through high-volume passing when the game demands it. The next challenge is sustaining that efficiency without depending on another near-400-yard quarterback performance.
More Week 5 coverage is available in the AskNovus NFL section, including the Ravens’ 30-23 overtime win and the Jaguars’ London victory over Philadelphia.
Sources
- New England Patriots official postgame coverage, October 11, 2026
- ESPN game recap, October 11, 2026
Featured image credit: Victoria Prymak/Unsplash.