Drake Maye is rolling again, and his New England Patriots teammates have noticed. Linebacker Robert Spillane said after Sunday's 45-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders (3-2) that Maye's confidence is back, and that he is smiling big on the sidelines again.
Maye's turnaround from the first three games has been dramatic. After throwing just one touchdown with six interceptions during the team's 1-2 start, and being sacked nine times, he has completed 67.6% of his passes with seven touchdowns and one interception over the past two games, sacked only twice. Against the Raiders he posted a season-high 96.0 Total QBR, the third best of his career, aided by strong offensive line play. Maye became the first player this season with a Total QBR of 90 or better in back-to-back games.
His deep ball also worked well. He finished 6-of-9 for 182 yards and two touchdowns on throws 15 or more yards downfield. In the Patriots' first four games, he had completed only 43.8% of those throws, with one total touchdown. Receiver De Mario "Pop" Douglas called Maye the team's leader, saying his example matters.
The shift has come despite a run of injuries across the depth chart, especially at receiver, running back, fullback and offensive line. Maye still sees "juice left to squeeze" in the offense, noting the unit has yet to produce a turnover-free game. The Patriots (3-2) host the New York Jets (2-3) next.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing