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.

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

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.