Maye's Patriots: NFL Leaders with 11 Wins and Playoff Bound

Quarterback Drake Maye and the New England Patriots continue their impressive stride in the season. Maye delivered a masterful performance in the 33-15 victory over the New York Giants on Monday night, completing 24 of 31 passes for 282 yards, with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions, allowing the Patriots to improve their record to 11-2, the best in the NFL, before their bye week.

I think he’s realizing what he can become and the impact he has on this offense, being our conductor. It means a lot to this football team.
Mike Vrabel, Patriots coach

The Patriots, who have won 10 consecutive games, will host the Buffalo Bills on December 14, before a trip to face the Baltimore Ravens on December 21. If the Patriots beat the Bills, they would secure the AFC East title, breaking Buffalo’s streak of five consecutive divisional titles. The 2019 Patriots were the last team, apart from the Bills, to win the AFC East.

The bye week is huge. It felt like it took a long time to get here, but we’re here and we have important football after the bye week. We’re looking forward to the players recovering, getting some guys back, and making a push.
Drake Maye, Patriots quarterback

Maye leads the NFL with 3,412 passing yards and is the only qualified quarterback who completes more than 70% of his passes this season (71.5%). What made Monday’s victory even more impressive was that the Patriots showed up with several absences in key areas, without starting left tackle Will Campbell (knee) and starting left guard Jared Wilson (ankle), along with two of their three main defensive tackles, Milton Williams (ankle) and Khyiris Tonga (chest), and All-Pro special teams player Brenden Schooler (ankle). They attacked from the start, scoring a field goal on their first series, achieving a 94-yard punt return for a touchdown by Marcus Jones, and then feeding off the energy of a hit by linebacker Christian Elliss on quarterback Jaxson Dart to score a quick touchdown and take a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. With the Patriots’ victory, their chances of being the number 1 seed in the AFC increased from 37% to 46%, according to the data. When 23-year-old Maye plays like he did on Monday, the Patriots can be a difficult team to beat. His touchdown passes (3 yards to receiver Kayshon Boutte and 33 yards to Kyle Williams) were accurate against tight coverage. This was Maye’s sixth game this season in which he completed 75% of his passes and had 2 touchdown passes, which ties him with Matt Ryan (2016) for the third most in a season, behind Tom Brady (2007) and Jared Goff (2024). Brady and Ryan won the NFL MVP award in those seasons.

I’m just trying to be the face of the offense, trying to be the driver. I want the pressure, I want the ball in my hands. I know they feed off me and my energy.
Drake Maye, Patriots quarterback

Maye is now the favorite to win the MVP on DraftKings Sportsbook.