Even at just 2-2 and without having faced the stiffest of competition to this point, the Patriots have gotten a remarkable four-game stretch from second-year quarterback Drake Maye, and likely got the best performance of his young career on Sunday against the Panthers in the team’s 42-13 blowout win.
Maye was 14-for-17 passing for 203 yards and two touchdowns, plus a rushing touchdown. He had a quarterback rating of 155.6, the third straight week his rating has come in at over 100.0. Maye took only one sack and had no turnovers.
Pro Football Focus currently grades Maye at 73.9, which is 12th in the league, and increasingly, he is starting to justify one of the major comparisons that was made for him coming out of college: the comp to Josh Allen, the Bills star New England will face on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 5.
Patriots Getting Top Play From Quarterback
On Monday morning, coach Mike Vrabel was asked about the Allen-Maye comparison. He was not a fan of it.
“I am not big into comparisons,” Vrabel said when asked on the “Greg Hill Show” on WEEI in Boston on Monday. “You guys know that by now. But if not, we’ll keep reminding ya, not big on comparisons.”
Such is life when interviewing Vrabel, who was also asked if Maye is ahead of schedule through four weeks of the season. “We didn’t have a timetable, not really sure, just trying to throw to the guy that’s open as soon as he is in the progression,” he said. “And take care of the football, use his legs when it’s not there. He has done that at times and we’ll continue to work on it.”
GettyNew England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel
Drake Maye Distributing Passes
One of the strong features of the performance Maye had in Week 4, and in this season thus far, was the distribution of his targets. Maye hit seven different receivers on Sunday, and only Stefon Diggs (with six catches) had more than one catch on the day.
Maye said he wants to keep that approach going.
“I sure hope so,” he said. “If it leads to wins, that’s what I’m trying to become and the quarterback I’m trying to become. I try to do it kind of just my whole career, kind of spread it around and give it to the guys that can make plays. I think everybody’s got some chance on our team, our skill guys to make the defense give them a problem.
“I think we’ve got guys on the team that are great with the football in their hands and do my best job to get to them quick and to hold it.”
Patriots’ Vrabel Gets Blunt on Drake Maye-Josh Allen Comparison