Patriots QB Drake Maye posts elite stats despite depleted roster
Maye completed 69% of passes for 1,398 yards over five weeks while playing without his top three receivers and starting guards.
By David Almasi ·
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has inserted himself into the NFL Most Valuable Player discussion following a 24-19 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The win came despite significant injuries to the Patriots' offensive unit and wet playing conditions that affected the game.
Maye finished the contest with nine of 10 pass attempts for 140 yards and three touchdowns in the second half. His performance capped a five-week span in which he completed 68.8% of his passes for 1,398 yards. During that period, he threw for 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions while also rushing for 134 yards and three scores. The Patriots went 4-1 in that stretch.
Head coach Mike Vrabel credited Maye with controlling the offense and finding ways to win despite the obstacles. Vrabel stated that Maye throws to the open player and gets teammates into the right spots. The coach described this performance as meeting the job description of one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Maye's statistical output ranks him in the top 10 for nearly all major quarterback categories this season. He is sixth in passing yards with 1,983 and tied for fifth in touchdown passes with 15. His completion percentage stands at 67.1%, ranking seventh. He also ties for second in yards per attempt at 8.5.
The supporting cast around Maye has been limited by health issues. The Patriots started the Dolphins game without wide receivers A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, and Mack Hollins. Starting guards Alijah Vera-Tucker and Mike Onwenu are on injured reserve. Maye faced pressure on 41.4% of his dropbacks, a rate that ranks in the bottom six among quarterbacks.
DraftKings currently lists Maye at +1400 odds for the MVP award. Those odds place him level with Patrick Mahomes and Caleb Williams. Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills remains the favorite at +140. Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers sit at +425.
The Patriots' schedule includes four upcoming games against defenses ranked in the top 12 for expected points added per play allowed. Maye will also face head-to-head matchups against Allen and Mahomes later in the season.
