Bedard: Drake Maye passes another test as this season is starting to give off 2021 vibes - with a big distinction

FOXBOROUGH — Some thoughts as the Patriots roll to their fifth-straight win to get to 6-2 and atop the AFC, while wondering how many more real tests the Patriots have the rest of the season...

 • Had a pretty good feeling that Drake Maye would encounter some adversity today in the form of the Browns' defense, and wanted to see if he could navigate that and keep the team on track. After getting sacked six times, five by the otherworldly freak known as Myles Garrett, and throwing what could have been a very costly interception and fumble, Maye registered a big-ass checkmark in the "handle adversity" column in the 32-13 victory.

Most young quarterbacks, after they were sacked six times, turned the ball over once in their own territory and almost a second time, had Garrett in his ear hole for most of the day, and faced 41.2% pressure rate (NextGenStats) against one of the best defenses in the league (5th in DVOA), would have been a puddle. Instead, Maye just kept going what he's always done.

Despite all that going on around him, Maye +15.5% completion percentage over expected (fifth straight week in double digits), had a 55.9% passing success rate (4th-best mark of the season), and an explosive pass play rate of 23,3% (second-highest of the season). Oh, and he was 6 for 6 for 85 yards and three touchdowns for a perfect passer rating in the third quarter as the Patriots blew doors on the Browns. I mean, that's just not supposed to happen.

 • That doesn't happen unless Maye has an experienced offensive coordinator/playcaller like Josh McDaniels. Maye's getting that calm and confidence because of his relationship with McDaniels and how he trusts him to put him in the right situation.

"He's just dialing it up multiple times and getting guys open and really making it easy for me," Maye said after the game. "He's done it his whole life, and I feel like he was put on this earth to be an offensive coordinator. It was fun to be in the headset with him."

If you want to listen to the noise out there about how Mike Vrabel is influencing this but not that, or that Ashton Grant has some huge role because Vrabel keeps speaking his name, or there's some sort of influence from other coaches, etc ... it's been McDaniels, it has always been McDaniels, and will continue to be McDaniels for eternity if Maye keeps playing like this.

Maye would not be doing this with the kind of young, inexperienced, tight-pantsed guy some wanted around here. Just look at CJ Stroud in Houston and how he's gone downhill with two coordinators the past two seasons. Listen to friend Greg Cosell about that.

 • Looking at the schedule, I'm starting to get 2021 vibes - but there's a huge caveat, which I'm sure you can guess.

Patriots started off 2-4 that season with rookie Mac Jones (and McDaniels), and then reeled off seven-straight wins before the bye to grab the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Most of them were in blowout fashion against some bad teams.

This run feels similar in one respect to the Patriots' defense: Outside of Buffalo, and that was great and impressive, they haven't been tested. These are the offensive DVOA rankings for the Patriots' wins: Miami (28), Carolina (23), New Orleans (26), Tennessee (32) and Cleveland (31).

I thought the Patriots' defense would get a great test next week against the Falcons (15), but they only scored three points against the putrid Dolphins' defense - not even sure how that happened. A banged-up Tampa team (13) will certainly be a worthy test down there, but then the Patriots have the Jets (29), Bengals (22), and Giants (25). So, yeah, a little 2021-ish.

But I'm not fearing a repeat of 2021 — losing 4 of 5 after the bye — in the slightest because Maye is no Jones, and he can win games on his own if need be. I don't question the offense. Defensive questions may linger until they see Josh Allen again, and Lamar Jackson. But this ain't 2021.

 • I wouldn't be alarmed about the Christian Barmore benching for the first quarter.

"I had to make a decision," Vrabel said after the game. "My job is to protect the team, so when there’s actions that I don’t feel like are commiserate with what we want to do here, I’ve got to make a decision, and we move on."

From what I've been told, the infraction was fairly harmless, so we'll see how it goes.

 • On the trade deadline front, I'm pretty unchanged on the minor moves I'd like to see them make, but edge is ramping up the charts with Keion White being a healthy scratch on Sunday. The offense is largely fine, but the Patriots could use help in this order at the moment: Edge, running back, linebacker, blocking tight end/fullback, safety and perhaps a depth cornerback.

 • Speaking of cornerbacks, is there a player you'd rather see in coverage on a third-down target than Marcus Jones? He just keeps making plays.

• I thought Will Campbell did fine today, and some of his issues came from working in coordination with help on Garrett. That can be very tricky, and the timing of it all develops with time. Some veteran left tackles tell their coordinator not to help them because often more bad things can happen than good things.

From NextGenStats: "Myles Garrett recorded a career-high 5 sacks and tied his season-high with 8 pressures in a loss to the Patriots, doubling his season sack total entering the week. Garrett's 8 pressures accounted for half of the Browns' total in the contest, and he has now accounted for 28.3% of the Browns' pressures this season (4th-highest share in the NFL).

Garrett recorded 5 of his pressures and 3 of his sacks across 13 matchups with Patriots left tackle Will Campbell. Campbell did not allow a pressure on his 20 other pass blocking snaps.

 • Speaking of NGS, TreVeyon Henderson finally got on the plus side of a lot of stats in this one, as McDaniels was able to get him out in space more.

1.9 yards over expected and 5.7 yards after contact are huge jumps for him.

"Rhamondre Stevenson played on 46 of the Patriots 64 offensive snaps in Week 8 (71.9% playtime), while TreVeyon Henderson played on just 14 (21.9%).

However, across Henderson’s 14 snaps, he touched the ball 10 times, all on the ground for 77 rushing yards (+21 rushing yards over expected). Stevenson received just 14 carries and 2 targets across his 46 snaps, totaling 49 yards."