Rested and ready to go.

The Patriots are back after their long-awaited bye week and hoping for a happy ending after a tough season. At 3-10, quarterback Drake Maye was probably their only bright spot, although reinforcements are on the way. Will it be enough to pull off an upset in Arizona?

The Cardinals, who have lost three straight (6-7), need a win to keep their fading playoff hopes alive. Quarterback Kyler Murray is both the driver and engine of a balanced offense. Murray relies heavily on tight end Trey McBride and rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. as passers and has combined with veteran running back James Conner for more than 1,300 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Defensively, Arizona has been forced to be systematically creative to make up for the lack of talent, particularly up front, where a lack of pass rush could help a leaky Patriots offensive line.

Can Maye and Co. survive in the desert? You should pay attention to this:

When the Patriots are running

Could this finally be the week Maye runs on purpose?

At the start of Thursday’s practice, Maye was spotted executing an option run, a sign that the Patriots’ coaching staff may finally be ready to use him in their rushing attack. Running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson carried the load most of the year, and for Gibson especially late. The fifth-year veteran has outperformed Stevenson for a month in a row as Stevenson’s missed tackles and explosive runs have plummeted.

Whoever carries the ball in Arizona, the Patriots will have to crack a tough Cardinals run defense that has allowed more than 80 rushing yards once in the last six weeks. And as always, when the Pats need a tough yard or two, look for them hiding behind right guard Mike Onwenu.

When the Patriots come around

After his best game of the season, Maye is ready for more.

He should find roomy pockets against an Arizona defense that doesn’t have a single threatening pass rusher (second-year defensive lineman Dante Stills leads with 4.5 sacks). However, the Patriots’ offensive line remains the worst pass protection unit in the league and could see further personnel shakeups after Cole Strange and Caedan Wallace practiced in full pads this week. If Maye has time, look for him to attack in the middle of the field.

Arizona ranks fifth-worst in the NFL in short midfield coverage by DVOA, which is nothing more than an invitation for slot receiver DeMario Douglas to go to work. Douglas ranks second on the team in catches and receiving yards, behind only tight end Hunter Henry, who should have an uphill battle against Cardinals safety Buddha Baker. The six-time Pro Bowler is the heartbeat of Arizona’s defense with 81 tackles, two sacks and three pass deflections.

“It’s hard not to see Budda Baker in the movie,” Maye said this week. “He flies around. He is a great player. They do a lot of different things and different fronts. They mix up the coverages, play a man and let everything go at you. They have a lot to prepare for and we have a big challenge ahead of us.”

When the Cardinals are running

At 6-foot-1 and weighing 220 pounds, James Conner brings a battering ram element to Arizona’s backfield. He has rushed for 863 yards and five touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry this season. Despite turning 30 within a few months, Conner is on pace to set career highs in rushing yards and attempts.

“It was very impressive to see a man of that age still running very hard,” Mayo said. “He’s tough, he can run between the tackles, he can run outside, he can run you over, he can run around you, so he’s a very good player.”

Expect the Cardinals to attack a Patriots-led defense that has been one of the league’s worst for most of the season. This refers to Conner and Murray, who are threats due to scrambles and option designs. That will put extra pressure on edge defenders like Anfernee Jennings, Yannick Ngakoue and Keion White, who play all over the defensive line.