Image courtesy of the New England Patriots 

The ascension and maturity process continues.

Mike Vrabel’s Patriots are still learning how to win consistently and took another big step forward on Sunday with a 25-19 victory in the Bayou.

“It’s better than an old team getting out of here with a loss, I would say,” Vrabel said when asked specifically about the importance of finding a way to win on the road with a young team with plenty of coachable moments.

“We will never not enjoy and embrace winning in this league. But, I do think guys are very aware of the fact that it can be better and that it will have to be better the more that we go along here and play. I think that’s a good sign, that they know that there’s some plays that we left out there that we could have played better. But, to do that on the road and be able to end it with the ball offensively in victory formation is fun.”

Losing teams complain about officiating, but the Patriots had legitimate gripes with the crew and still found a way to win. The Pats were called for 11 penalties totaling 65 yards…as Mike Reiss pointed out on social media, a handful of questionable-at-best offensive pass interference calls took away 113 yards of offense.

Still, Douglas had a breakout game with three catches, 71 yards and a 53-yard TD, A 61-yard catch-and-run for another TD by Douglas was taken off the board on a horrific call against Stefon Diggs. Kayshon Boutte had quite a homecoming too, reeling in five passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

Once again, Drake Maye was at the center of it all, going 18-26 for 261 yards and three touchdowns with zero turnovers. He also led the non-existent rushing attack with 28 yards on nine carries. TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson combined for just 45 yards on 22 carries.

“That’s a good team. They have some good players and they played hard. It was tough playing here at their place,” said Maye. “So, just proud of the guys for coming out with a win. Good to get out of here and get on to next week.”

New England led 14-6 after one on the 53-yard highlight reel catch-and-run by Douglas and a 25-yard TD pass from Maye to Boutte. New Orleans had success getting into Patriots territory, but the defense stood tall early, forcing two field goals.

After New Orleans cut it to 14-13 with a methodical 11-play, 60-yard touchdown drive, New England turned it over on downs at the New Orleans 45 when Garrett Bradbury launched a bad snap past Maye on 4th-&-7.

The Saints settled for another field goal and a 16-14 lead. A seven-play, 73-yard drive that ended with a 29-yard touchdown to Boutte put the Pats back up 22-16 heading into halftime after a Maye sneak for two points that was initially deemed unsuccessful, but reviewed.

Andy Borregales made it a nine-point game with a field goal with 7:26 left in the third quarter. The Pats punted and New Orleans made it 25-19 with 13:41 to go on a 54-yard field goal.

Christian Elliss and Robert Spillane combined for a tackle and a Ellis had a big forced fumble two plays after a Patriots punt. A recovery by Craig Woodson gave New England the ball back with 8:43 left at the Pats’ 52.

Ultimately, New England had to punt the ball back to the Saints with 5:58 on the clock. New Orleans had to punt again and never got the ball again, with Maye and the offense draining the remaining 3:55 left in the game. The biggest play came on 3rd-&-11 when Maye hit Boutte for 21 yards along the sideline to seal the deal.

“Yeah, it’s just about making good decisions,” Maye said when asked about having the ball in his hands late. “I think it’s just trying to prove it over and over again, being consistent doing that and knowing to be smart with the football. I think that’s the biggest thing in that situation, get a first down, safe throw to the sideline and what a play by Boutte, you know? It felt right being back home for him.”

So, now, the Patriots have won three straight and could suddenly be budding contenders in a mediocre-at-best AFC. There’s a long way to go and plenty to clean up, but at 4-2, something continues to brew in Foxborough.

Perhaps a little quicker than any of us expected.

“Just go and get win No. 5, that’s my only thought,” Maye added. “Last year is in the past. Just try to keep building and hopefully, just keep showing up every week and being a tough team to play on the road and winning at home is what we’re trying to build.

“I think we’re on the way to that.”