The Drake Maye Hype Train Builds Up Steam and the Defensive Struggles
After six starts Drake Maye has New England fanbase and media gushing. The hype train is getting ready to leave the station. I'm as jazzed up as anyone about the potential he flashes and what it could mean for the Patriots. In contrast to the excitement on offense is the weekly ineptitude we see on defense. The knives are coming out on Mayo and Covington.
Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal had this to say on Maye's performance on Sunday.
"Drake Maye was sensational: Aside from the last play - which might not have been his fault - I thought Maye was in total control today against a very good defense. He finished 30 of 40 for 282 yards and two touchdowns (100.2 rating). Maye added 3 rushes for 27 yards."
"Maye was in complete command nearly the entire game. He looked like a 10-year veteran calmly dissecting a good Rams defense."
"The Team Offensive Throw Success Rate of 65% is fourth-best in Week 11 (and higher than Matthew Stafford - 55.6%) He did this despite having the 4th-highest pressure rate 39.1%. He was blitzed on 37% of dropbacks (fifth-highest of Week 11). "
"Basically, Maye was dealing.
He's also single handedly lost the Rams and Titans games. But we don't talk about that. I get it sex sells. Maye acknowledges and owns the mistakes but we need to call out the trend.
Ben Solak ESPN grades Drake Maye
“Maye's accuracy is eye-popping -- especially for a guy tagged with some footwork and mechanics concerns coming out of the college ranks. On throws of 10-plus yards downfield, Maye is ninth best in off-target rate, yet bottom five in EPA per dropback, success rate, explosive play rate and first-down/touchdown rate. If that doesn't tell you about the limitations of the Patriots' receiver room, I don't know what does.
The report card: Maye has been everything the Patriots could have hoped for with the third overall pick. He's decisive, accurate, tough and explosive. He makes plays within structure and outside of structure, and he's maximizing a receiver room that would be challenging for many first-year signal-callers to elevate. The way he is erasing the impact of the leaky Patriots offensive line is particularly impressive and bodes extremely well for his future.
Maye is liable to take a bad sack-fumble or throw a big pick, but you expect those plays to go away with time as he continues to adjust to NFL speed and coverages.”
The grade: A