Anyone trying to act like the New England Patriots don’t have an advantage in the AFC Championship Game because of quarterback Drake Maye, need only listen to former Super Bowl-winning NFL head coach Bruce Arians.
The 73-year-old who spent some of his best coaching years in the pros as a rival of sorts of the Patriots, cleared up any confusion about the differences between Maye and Denver Broncos backup passer Jarrett Stidham.
Former Pats QB Stidham will start on Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, January 25. He was thrust into the lineup after Broncos QB1 Bo Nix suffered a season-ending injury in the Divisional Round.
Arians was asked by Kay Adams on the “UP & Adams Show” about comments from renowned QB coach Jordan Palmer that suggest there’s not much to choose between Stidham and Maye. As Adams put it, Palmer said “if Jarrett Stidham and Drake Maye both play at their best, I don’t think it’s much different.”
Arians couldn’t have been clearer when he replied, “I don’t believe that one. Drake Maye’s playing at a MVP level. He is just off the charts. I mean, I love his deep ball. I loved him coming out, I thought it was a great quarterback class and he was the top of the class for me, with the measurables, but his competitive spirit, the family (he) comes from, but he can sling it. His deep ball is so, so good and he’s so accurate, and he’s so athletic. They’re not equal in that regard, but they can both play at a very high level.”
Despite the final note of caution about Stidham’s abilities, those words are a ringing endorsement of Maye from one of the most respected sources available.
Bruce Arians Confirms Drake Maye’s Rapid Rise
There are few better authorities on quarterbacks than Maye. He was Peyton Manning’s first quarterbacks coach with the Indianapolis Colts, when the latter were still among the Patriots’ AFC East rivals.
A subsequent spell as offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers saw Arians guide Ben Roethlisberger to a Super Bowl in 2010. Arians was later NFL Head Coach of the Year after helping rookie signal-caller Andrew Luck take the big league by storm and lead the 2012 Colts to the postseason.
Some smart work with Jordan’s older brother, Carson Palmer, followed with the Arizona Cardinals, before Arians helped Patriots legend Tom Brady win a seventh Super Bowl title, this one with the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That’s an enviable CV from a coaching veteran who has worked with some of the great talents at football’s most important position. So Arians is more than qualified to extol the virtues of Maye’s game.
He’s setting award-winning standards on the field, but Maye hasn’t been immune from mistakes during these playoffs. Mistake a prolific Broncos pass rush could exploit the way the ferocious Houston Texans did in the last round, sacking him five times and forcing four fumbles.
Fortunately for the Pats, Maye still delivered the clutch throws to make history. Like this touchdown strike to wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who had just 0.4 yards of target separation against tight coverage, according to Next Gen Stats.
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If Maye can produce more throws like this in Denver, he’ll heap the pressure on Stidham to play far above his career status.
Patriots Ready for Jarrett Stidham
The Patriots aren’t short of intel on Stidham. Not only did he spend three seasons in New England from 2019-2021, Stidham also started two games for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, when the latter was head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders a year later.
McDaniels knows what to expect, but so does outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings. He offered high praise of Stidham’s professionalism with the Patriots.
Jennings’ take can help inform the strategy of Pats interim defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr. The play-caller who’s a rising star isn’t about to overlook Stidham’s ability to surprise what’s been a dominant playoff defense.
Stidham is mobile and he has arm talent, but the Patriots have to be confident they’ll have the better quarterback on the field when the Lamar Hunt Trophy is at stake.
Former Patriots Rival Trashes Drake Maye Talk