Patriots beat Titans as Maye shines, move to 5-2 and AFC East lead

NASHVILLE — The New England Patriots beat the Tennessee Titans 31-13 on Sunday in Nashville, handing head coach Mike Vrabel a highly publicized return to his former team and extending New England’s winning streak to four games. The victory moved the Patriots to 5-2 and into first place in the AFC East.

Second-year quarterback Drake Maye produced one of the most efficient passing performances in franchise history, completing 21 of 23 throws for 222 yards and two touchdowns while adding 62 rushing yards on eight carries. Maye’s 91.3 percent completion rate on at least 20 attempts set a new Patriots regular-season single-game mark. The offense finished with 387 total yards, and the Patriots registered a season-high 175 rushing yards.

New England established leverage on the ground early after Vrabel emphasized the need to run the ball. Rhamondre Stevenson responded with 18 carries for 88 yards and a four-yard touchdown that helped put the game out of reach in the third quarter. Vrabel afterward reiterated concerns about ball security, criticizing Stevenson’s end-zone celebration and warning the team against careless handling of the football following Stevenson’s recent fumble issues.