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The hype train for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has run completely off the tracks, and for good reason. Maye has arguably been the NFL’s best quarterback through seven weeks, and while it’s still hard to say how good New England can be this season, Maye’s presence alone gives legitimate optimism for seasons to come in Foxboro. Maye set a Patriots record in an Oct. 19 win over the Tennessee Titans, completing 21 of 23 passes for a franchise-best 91.3% completion rate. In the process, he continued to show why vibes are as high as they’ve been since the Tom Brady era in New England, and insiders around the NFL are taking notice, too. The Athletic’s Mike Sando spoke to one NFL coach who labeled one of Maye’s throws “(Aaron) Rodgers-like,” while others in the industry are ready to make declarative statements about his future. “For the first time, football people view Maye as possibly being a guy,” another executive told Sando. “He has always looked the part because of his measurables, but the game had not slowed down enough for him to develop that stuff.” Patriots QB Drake Maye Drops Jaws, As NFL Takes Notice There were no shortage of highlight-reel throws from Maye in the tidy dump-trucking of the hapless Titans in Nashville. Perhaps the prettiest was the one to which the coach compared him to Rodgers came on a Cover 2-beating pass down the sideline to Mack Hollins. Then, of course, there was the 39-yard touchdown pass in the final moments of the second quarter — a score that more or less put the game away early — that showcased Maye’s incredible ability to throw the ball downfield with pristine accuracy. As Sando noted, Maye now “ranks third among 34 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA per pass play and yards per attempt.” Maye’s 0.333 EPA per play has him tied with Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love and just behind Seattle’s Sam Darnold and Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones. Patriots Need Drake Maye Improvement in One Specific Area If there is one area of Maye’s game he needs to improve, it’s doing a better job of protecting himself. The second-year signal-caller gave Patriots fans a scare in Tennessee when he was pulled midway through the second quarter after taking a nasty-looking hit that bounced the back of his head off the Nissan Stadium turf. All of New England exhaled when he was cleared and returned to the game, but it was a reminder that the franchise’s fate is in his hands. “He missed three plays while being evaluated in the blue medical tent, but it was a reminder of something coaches have stressed to him: His greatest value to the team is his health, and while his running ability is a great asset, it needs to be used judiciously,” ESPN’s Mike Reiss wrote. Sando agreed that Maye needs to “hone his instincts,” but even the areas in which he can improve offer a glimpse into what makes him special. “He stands in there, gets his ass kicked and still delivers an accurate ball,” a coach told Sando.
