The New England Patriots managed to put the first points on the board in the Divisional Round playoff game against the Houston Texans. Drake Maye managed to find a wide-open DeMario Douglas to score against the elite Texans defense.

On fourth down, the 23-year-old quarterback delivered a strike to Douglas on a fourth-down play. The gamble paid off, as the play resulted in a 28-yard touchdown play for the Patriots, leading to New England taking an early 7-0 lead.

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The Patriots look solid early on in the contest. Although the first drive was quick and didn't amount to anything, Maye and his teammates found a way to hit paydirt on the second drive. It's especially impressive as that was the first touchdown the Texans' defense has allowed in this year's playoffs.

Drake Maye's second season in the league has been wildly impressive. He's taken a noticeable jump in development under head coach Mike Vrabel. The former first-round pick played all 17 games for the Patriots in the regular season, and finished with 4,394 passing yards (career-high), 450 rushing yards, and 35 total touchdowns (31 passing, four rushing). Maye also led the league in completion percentage with 72.0%.

His efforts have put him in MVP consideration, as many believe the highly-coveted award is between the Patriots quarterback and Los Angeles Rams star Matthew Stafford. But Maye is likely more concerned with his team's playoff journey, as New England looks like a true Super Bowl contender once again. If New England can pull off the victory over the Texans, it will mark the 16th time the franchise has reached the AFC Conference Championship round.