EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Your eyes weren’t lying while watching Patriots quarterback Drake Maye light up the Jets in a 42-10 win Sunday afternoon.
Maye was perfect.
Sure, the stats might say that Maye was a mere 19-of-21, throwing two incompletions. But the first incompletion was dropped by rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams, and the other came when Maye was under pressure and offloaded the ball to DeMario Douglas.
Otherwise, Maye threw for 256 yards and five scores and led the Patriots on touchdown-scoring drives in all six of his possessions.
So, what went so right?
“Coach’s playcalling. Getting guys open, guys running the right routes, at the top of the route with the right feel for zone. I felt like I was throwing it pretty good,” Maye said, humbly. “And from there, the guys up front keep on blocking their butts off and give me time to make plays and extend plays and find guys down the field.”
RBSDM.com had him for a perfect 100.0 expected QBR. His completion percentage over expected was a career-high 29.3%, eclipsing his Week 7 performance against the Titans when he completed 24.4 passes over expected. Maye’s 1.24 EPA/play was also a career-high.
Sure, it came against the Jets, who are 3-13 on the season and playing out the string before they inevitably spend another high pick on a quarterback.
But Maye’s CPOE and EPA/play set season highs among all NFL QBs this season. NFL Pro previously marked Jalen Hurts as the season leader with a 25% CPOE in Week 7. Maye previously had a season-high 0.95 EPA per dropback in Week 4 against the Panthers.
Maye eclipsed both in just 2.5 quarters of play before giving way to Joshua Dobbs.
The 23-year-old QB only helped his MVP chances in the win. He entered the game with the second-best MVP odds behind Rams QB Matthew Stafford, who plays Monday night against the Falcons.
“They don’t give me a vote, but there’s nobody else that we want as our quarterback, or that I want as our quarterback,” head coach Mike Vrabel said of Maye’s MVP candidacy. “So to be able to do that and as the plays go through the progression … this is just throwing to the guy that’s open as soon as you work through your progression. And I think he did that, and some really good designs, but also some great execution.”
The Pro Bowl QB surpassed 4,000 yards passing and got to 30 touchdowns on the season. He’s completed an NFL-best 71.7% of his passes.
Maye joined impressive company with those numbers. He’s now just the third Patriots QB in franchise history to throw for 30 touchdowns in a season, joining Tom Brady and Babe Parilli. He’s also just the third QB in franchise history to throw for 4,000 yards, joining Brady and Drew Bledsoe
“I wouldn’t say I’m in competition with those two,” Maye said about Brady and Bledsoe. “Those are probably the two best in Patriots. So it’s an honor. So yeah, but it takes everybody, like we say in the offensive room, takes everybody, all 11 each and every play, and whether it’s me throwing for that many yards or 20 yards, whatever takes to win.”
More impressive numbers from Maye: He’s the first player in NFL history to have multiple games in a season with 200+ passing yards, 2+ passing touchdowns and at least a 90% completion percentage.
Maye certainly showed promise in his rookie season last year, but he hasn’t just taken a second-year leap, he’s strapped a jetpack to his back in Year 2, taking the NFL by storm.
He was, once again, humble when asked about his improvements this season.
“I wouldn’t say it’s clicked, just trying to prepare the same every week and not change that part of it. And the guys around me have been the biggest reason, and Coach (Josh) McDaniels and just taking coaching and take coaching from Coach Vrabel and everybody that kind of wants the best for me. Just trying to do what’s best for me and just trusting them.”
Maye officially went 3-9 last season, but that included two games he didn’t finish. He’s now led the Patriots to a 12-3 season and established himself quickly as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
His goal is still the same as the Patriots enter Week 18: Beat the Dolphins and win the division.
