Seven Patriots trending in the right direction ahead of Week 11 vs. Rams

FOXBORO — The Patriots have won two of their last three games and will try to put together their first winning streak Sunday against the Rams since Week 11 of the 2022 season.

Let’s highlight players who are playing their best football of the season before the Patriots take on the Rams at home.

QB Drake Maye

Maye still makes some costly turnovers, but he’s been one of the Patriots’ brightest spots since emerging as the starting quarterback in Week 6.

Over the last three games, Maye ranks 18th out of 35 qualified quarterbacks with a 74.6 overall PFF grade.

Maye didn’t have his most efficient game in Sunday’s 19-3 win over the Bears, but he flashed his elite arm and ability to throw off platform with completions to Austin Hooper and Kayshon Boutte and on a pass to K.J. Osborn in the end zone that was negated by penalty because the veteran wide receiver stepped out of bounds before he touched the ball.

The next step is for Maye to play a game eliminating turnovers. He’s proven to be a dangerous playmaker with his arms and his legs on scrambles.

WR Kayshon Boutte

Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt called Boutte the Patriots’ most consistent wide receiver at making plays on the ball. That’s tough to argue.

Over the last three weeks, Boutte leads Pats wideouts with 111 yards on nine catches. He’s bounced back well from issues with drops and is emerging as a go-to target for Maye in critical situations.

Expect Boutte to continue to lead Patriots wide receivers in snaps this season.

RT Demontrey Jacobs

Jacobs briefly lost his starting job in Week 9, but that only lasted for a quarter before he replaced Layden Robinson on the offensive line.

Over the last three weeks, Jacobs ranks among the top third of all NFL offensive tackles. He’s allowed one sack and seven total pressures in that span.

He also won the Patriots’ Pickup Award in Week 10 by picking up his offensive teammates 11 times in the win over the Bears.

“There’s nothing that frustrates me more than watching guys not pick each other up off the ground,” Van Pelt said Thursday. “We ask these guys to be great teammates — run to the football. When you run to the football, good things happen and while you’re there, let’s get our guys off the ground. We ask the ball carriers, if you’re on the ground, stay down, somebody’s coming to get you. That’s the mentality that we have. We play for each other. We call it, ‘For our brothers,’ in the room.”

LB Jahlani Tavai

Tavai, who barely slept before last Sunday’s win after welcoming his first child during the week, has rounded into shape over the last two weeks with a sack, four total pressures, 16 tackles, seven defensive stops, an interception and pass breakup.

Tavai ranks fifth out of 49 qualified linebackers with an 81.2 PFF grade in that span of time.

The Patriots’ defense struggled after linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley suffered a torn pectoral early in the season. Tavai’s emergence has the linebacker corps playing better in recent weeks.

OLB Anfernee Jennings

Since trading Joshua Uche to the Chiefs, Jennings has broken out as a nearly every-down player at outside linebacker. The Alabama product ranks ninth among edge defenders with 13 total pressures and first with 11 defensive stops and 192 snaps since Week 8.

Jennings quietly signed a three-year, $12 million contract extension this offseason. He tallied two sacks last week against the Bears.

Veteran edge defender Yannick Ngakoue will likely take defensive snaps from a Patriots edge defender. It might not be smart to take Jennings off of the field as long as he’s playing this well.

CB Christian Gonzalez

Gonzalez has covered Davante Adams, Calvin Ridley, D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen over the last three weeks and has only allowed 94 yards with no touchdowns and two pass breakups.

Gonzalez has emerged as the Patriots’ best player this season, though his 64.6 coverage grade on PFF doesn’t reflect that.

The Rams’ wide receivers present another challenge this week. Expect Gonzalez to take on outside wide receiver Puka Nacua while cornerbacks Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones focus more of their attention on Cooper Kupp.

Limiting Nacua will be paramount in the Patriots’ success.

S Dell Pettus

Pettus finished last week with more defensive snaps than veteran defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and 2023 third-round pick and fellow safety Marte Mapu.

Pettus, who rewarded the Patriots with a pass breakup and sack, has taken on a bigger role since Jabrill Peppers was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list. Kyle Dugger’s nagging ankle injury has also led to more playing time for the undrafted free agent.

We’ll see how much Pettus plays on Sunday, but he’s earned a PFF grade of 75-plus in two of his last three games.