The New England Patriots were on the verge of blowing out the Atlanta Falcons at home on Sunday.

However, a couple of bad turnovers by quarterback Drake Maye, coupled with a monster performance from Falcons wide receiver Drake London, led to a nail-biter that barely swung in New England’s favor.

In the end, the Patriots’ misfortunes were finally projected onto the Falcons late in the game when kicker Parker Romo missed an extra point that would have tied the game. It was the break the Patriots needed after playing one of their worst games of the season.

With the win, New England improved to 7-2 on the year, which ties them with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos for first place in the AFC conference.

Here were the studs and duds from Sunday’s 24-23 win over the Falcons:

STUD: WR Demario Douglas

Demario Douglas was seemingly lost in the shuffle early in the season, leaving some to think he might not be a fit for the rebuilding Patriots. That doubt has faded in a matter of weeks with Douglas proving to be one of the team’s best deep threat options.

He hauled in a 58-yard reception in Sunday’s game against the Falcons and nearly powered his way through multiple defenders in an attempt to score a touchdown. That play came after his 16-yard touchdown reception on the first drive of the game. Douglas finished the game with four catches for 100 yards and one touchdown.

STUD: EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson

If Kayshon Boutte is the Patriots’ most improved offensive player, then K’Lavon Chaisson must be the most improved defensive player. He spent last season bouncing between the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders as a perceived first-round draft bust. Now, he is tied with Harold Landry III for the most sacks on the Patriots’ roster this season. He had the team’s only sack on Michael Penix Jr., along with two tackles for a loss on Sunday.

DUD: QB Drake Maye

Look, every game isn’t going to be perfect for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. There were multiple plays he probably wants back from this game, including the two turnovers. He fumbled the ball late in the second quarter with the Patriots leading 21-7 before halftime.

That mistake flipped the game for the Falcons, who scored on the ensuing drive. Maye nearly had another fumble in the game, and then he threw an interception. He finished the game going 19-of-29 passing for 259 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

STUD: RB Terrell Jennings

TreVeyon Henderson led the team in rushing yards and had a strong effort in his debut as an NFL starter. But Terrell Jennings deserves some recognition for some hard runs and scoring his first NFL touchdown. The fact that the Patriots trusted him to run late with the game on the line showed the faith the coaching staff has in him on the football field.

DUD: CB Marcus Jones

You have to tip your cap to the Falcons for exploiting the mismatch between wide receiver Drake London and Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones. London was able to use his size to snag two of his three touchdowns on the day over Jones. There’s no arguing that Jones has been one of the best nickel corners in the league all season, but even he had his limits when facing a significantly larger receiver in London.

DUD: G Mike Onwenu

The fumble before the half by Maye happened after veteran guard Mike Onwenu got completely lost in his pass-blocking assignment. That seemed to happen multiple times in the game against defensive twists. It’s something Onwenu will need to get a handle on because he is sure to see more of them this season when future opponents watch the film.

STUD: WR Stefon Diggs

It was the Hingle McCringleberry sequel for the Patriots with wide receiver Stefon Diggs getting into the end zone for a second straight week. This time, his girlfriend, rap star Cardi B, was in attendance for the game. Diggs snagged an 11-yard pass from Maye and dove into the end zone for the touchdown. Cardi B’s music could be heard playing over the speakers at Gillette Stadium after the score.

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