Maye gathered in a shotgun snap around his knees from center Ben Brown on left hash mark, and quickly scanned the field to his left. Hooper was running a corner route to the front left pylon of the end zone with linebacker Zaire Franklin in tight coverage underneath him -- and Maye lofted the pass over the top.

Maye squeezed the throw through several Colts defenders for the 16-yard touchdown. It ended an eight-play, 70-yard drive and took 4:34 off the clock. The touchdown grab was Hooper’s second of the season, as he continues to be a dependable second option for the Patriots offense.

FOXBORO — Tight end Austin Hooper was one of the Patriots’ more under-the-radar signings in free agency, but he’s also proven to be one of their smartest outside additions. Hooper has played over 50% of offensive snaps and has proven to be a dependable target for rookie quarterback Drake Maye with 23 catches for 236 yards with a touchdown.

Drake Maye connects with Austin Hooper for a 16-yard touchdown, giving the Patriots a lead over the Colts in the second quarter.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye isn't buying into any superstitions as New England prepares to face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, Mass. Maye, the third overall pick in

The Patriots offense wasn't expected to be all that thrilling during the 2024 season, especially based on how unexciting they went about free agency. The only shining light has been rookie quarterback Drake Maye,