I Overreacted

and it was so worth it...

Author

Danny Healey
October 08, 2025

In partnership with

I have never felt this kind of joy watching the Patriots (since Tommy boy left). Not even close.

Not a flicker. Not a glimpse. Not nothing.

But Sunday night in Buffalo? That was something different. That was ELECTRIC.

Drake Maye, in his second season, went into Buffalo, stared down reigning MVP Josh Allen, and led the Patriots to a 23–20 win that left the entire NFL without an unbeaten team. Let me say that again… Drake Maye and the New England Patriots walked into Buffalo and snapped the Bills’ 14-game home winning streak against reigning MVP and Super Bowl favorites.

This was essentially his first game in NFL primetime with the country watching. And the young boy stepped up to the task in a BIG way.

BTW - I went on a live sports show “Take of the Town” in Boston right before kickoff and called my shot on the Drake Maye coming out party:

If you’re any type of sports fan… You saw the pass. That impossible, physics-defying, call the doctor I almost fainted pass. Then there was the “Maye getting dragged to the turf, somehow twisting his body just enough to sling a 12-yard dart to Stefon Diggs” pass.

It was cinematic. It was poetic. It was the making of a Super Bowl MVP caliber player.

Then let’s chat about WR1, Stefon Diggs.

The same guy who used to torch the Patriots twice a year in that same stadium, now doing it for us. Ten catches, 146 yards, 119 of them in the second half.

He is the emotional leader of this football team after just five weeks. He brings a different aura to that locker room. He does the pregame speeches, the dances, the post-win locker room IG Live that every coach hates but is the kinda fun energy you want in a WR1. I love this man.

And I’d let him date my sisters despite what his former Vikings teammates would say.

When our kicker, Andy Borregales, with way too much eye black and tattoos hit the 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds left, I didn’t cheer. I did not even have words:

I IMMEDIATELY texted my friends: “Super Bowl.”

I may have even looked up how much SB tickets cost.

It’s been five long, weird, humbling years since Brady left. The post-dynasty hangover. The identity crisis. The Cam Newton cameo. The defensive coordinators who couldn’t coordinate offense (love you Matty P). It’s been a lot of “we’re building” and not much “we’ve arrived.”

But Sunday night, for the first time since that confetti fell in Atlanta for the Super Bowl win over the Rams, it felt like the Patriots were truly back.

And yeah, I overreacted. I said things no rational football fan should ever say in Week 5. But you know what? I don’t care.

Sometimes you have to let yourself feel something.

We spend so much of life trying to stay level. “Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. Be patient. Be reasonable”, they all like to say. I’ve probably preached the same stuff in this Diary.

But that’s not what sports are for. Sports are for nights like this. For letting your guard down, losing your mind, and believing again.

Overreacting isn’t a flaw. It’s a sign you still care.

When you’ve been through the ringer like Mac Jones as your QB, you deserve to feel this high. You’ve earned it. The overreactions, the delusions, the wild group chat predictions, it’s all part of the fun.

Overreacting to positive little wins, whether it’s a football game, a work project win, or a lucky break in your own life is how new energy begins. Sometimes the best ideas, the boldest moves, the most exciting changes, all start from that little rush of “oh my god, what if this actually works?”

So yes, I’m overreacting to a Week 5 win. But I’m also reminding myself it’s okay to.

Because for one night, everything clicked again: Maye looked like the future, Diggs looked like he was home, Vrabel looked like he belonged, and the Patriots looked like the Patriots.

And if that makes me a delusional fan… fine.

The Patriots are back. Drake Maye for MVP. And Stefon Diggs? Please date my sisters.

Sometimes, overreacting isn’t an overreaction at all. It’s recognizing a spark before everyone else does.

How do you like my new iPhone background?

But did I overreact about the Pats in my NFL rankings below??

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My NFL Power Rankings - Week 5

Super Bowl Contenders

  1. Detroit Lions

  2. Buffalo Bills

  3. Philadelphia Eagles

  4. Green Bay Packers

Frisky Playoff Squads

  1. Tampa Bay Bucs

  2. Jacksonville Jaguars

  3. Washington Commanders

  4. Kansas City Chiefs

  5. Indianapolis Colts

  6. San Francisco 49ers

  7. Los Angeles Rams

  8. Los Angeles Chargers

  9. Seattle Seahawks

  10. Denver Broncos

Wild Card Weekend Hopefuls

  1. New England Patriots

  2. Dallas Cowboys

  3. Pittsburgh Steelers

  4. Houston Texans

  5. Baltimore Ravens

Interesting but not good

  1. Minnesota Vikings

  2. Chicago Bears

  3. Atlanta Falcons

  4. Arizona Cardinals

Really Bad Football Teams

  1. Las Vegas Raiders

  2. Cincinnati Bengals

  3. New York Giants

  4. Cleveland Browns

  5. Carolina Panthers

  6. Miami Dolphins

  7. Tennessee Titans

  8. New York Jets

  9. New Orleans Saints