Drake Maye S Mvp Case Explosive Performance Analysis Patriots

Bonisiwe Shabane
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drake maye s mvp case explosive performance analysis patriots

After roughly half a decade's absence from real Super Bowl contention, there's no need to deny reality anymore. The 8-2 New England Patriots are back. Doubt Mike Vrabel's bunch at your own risk because they are a wagon. The biggest reason the Patriots are once again a superpower is the play of second-year quarterback Drake Maye. The former No. 3 overall draft pick has blossomed into a veritable superstar this season.

At the time of this writing, Maye is on pace for over 4,300 yards passing, 32 touchdown passes, and just nine interceptions. Oh, and he's also completing nearly 72 percent of his passes with a robust 8.9 yards per pass attempt while sitting No. 2 overall amongst all quarterbacks in composite Expected Points Added (EPA) and Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE). If I didn't know any better, that sounds like an NFL MVP-caliber season for Maye. Well, that's because it is. The question now is whether Maye really does have a legit shot of winning MVP in just his second season.

Outside of Maye's stellar play, the best way to assess this is to see his current competition. Let's take a quick look at the tale of the tape, at the time of publishing: Six years after Tom Brady left, Drake Maye has made it abundantly clear that the New England Patriots again have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Maddie Meyer / Getty Images FOXBORO, Mass. — Early in the third quarter, after the latest of Drake Maye’s wild plays that leave one wondering how in the world he pulls them off, the New England Patriots huddled, the ball 11...

Maye tried to yell out the play call from Josh McDaniels, but his teammates in the huddle couldn’t hear him. Offensive linemen had to wave their arms, begging the home crowd to quiet down because the “M-V-P” chants were too loud. Maye, fittingly, then promptly threw a beauty of a touchdown to the back of the end zone on a night when, even if his numbers weren’t off the charts, he showed a national audience... Maye has had better games and played in bigger games, but few have done more to boost and validate his MVP stock, given how he shined during the prime-time showcase of a 27-14 “Thursday... Drake Maye MVP conversations are heating up following the New England Patriots’ 24-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons, which pushed their record to 7-2 on the season. Sitting alone atop the AFC East, the Patriots are establishing themselves once again as a legitimate powerhouse, thanks in large part to an offense that currently ranks seventh in PFSN’s NFL Offensive Impact chart...

What stands out most about Maye this season isn’t just the production, it’s the command. The second-year quarterback has shown poise in high-leverage moments, confidence operating within the system, and the ability to elevate the players around him. His progress from last year to now has been evident, and it’s a significant reason the Maye MVP conversation has begun gaining real traction. Social media has played a major role in pushing the Maye MVP conversation into the national spotlight. Metchie just reeled in an 18-yard gain on third down, taking a big hit in the process and holding on. There haven't been many bright moments for the Jets tonight, but Metchie (three catches on three targets, 45 yards, one touchdown) has been one.

Nice work from Micheal Clemons to tip Drake Maye's third-down pass. It's still a two-score game, but the Jets have to kick it into gear right now. Justin Fields mishandled a low snap, trief to pick it up but couldn't, and now New England is already in the red zone. Down 10 with under eight minutes left, the Jets desperately needed a stop, and Brandon Stephens delivered. The veteran cornerback got beat deep by Mack Hollins but stayed with the play and swiped through the ball perfectly just as it appeared Hollins would reel it in. Big play -- and a very good one -- by Stephens, who has had an up-and-down year.

It's 24-14 New England. Not the perfect response -- Jermaine Johnson sacking Drake Maye bogged down the drive -- but a pretty good one to restore the lead to two scores. Phil Perry returns with another Stock Watch, breaking down whose stock rose and fell this week By one metric, the New England Patriots' offense wasn't all that productive Sunday. According to ESPN's Aaron Schatz, the Patriots had a 33 percent offensive "success rate" against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, meaning only a third of their plays gained 40 percent of the required yards on... The Bucs, meanwhile, had a 52 percent offensive success rate.

And yet ... the Patriots still racked up 435 total yards and four touchdowns against one of the best defenses in football en route to a 28-23 win. The key to victory? Explosive plays. Subscribe to NBC Sports Boston's podcast network to hear our Insiders bring you the latest insights on your favorite teams! Drake Maye is turning heads-and not just in Foxborough.

Six weeks into the 2025 season, the second-year Patriots quarterback is making a legitimate case as one of the league’s breakout stars. Still, like any young player on the rise, not everyone’s ready to fully buy in. The tape, the stats, and the win column? They’re all nodding in Maye's favor. But some of the broader football world-especially outside of New England-seems hesitant to give him his due. The debate sparked over the weekend when longtime Patriots safety Devin McCourty proudly declared that Maye is the best quarterback from the 2024 draft class.

That drew immediate pushback from NBC Sports fantasy football analyst Matthew Berry, who didn’t hesitate to shut the idea down, backing Commanders’ QB Jayden Daniels instead.

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