NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Twenty-three passes left Drake Maye’s proper hand Sunday afternoon. Simply two hit the Nissan Stadium turf.
That’s a uncommon degree of accuracy and effectivity for an NFL quarterback. How uncommon? Effectively, it’s one thing Tom Brady by no means did throughout his unparalleled Patriots tenure.
Maye’s 91.3% completion share in New England’s 31-13 win over the Tennessee Titans was a brand new regular-season franchise document, breaking the earlier mark of 88.5% set by Brady in a 2009 victory over Jacksonville. It was the eighth-best completion fee in NFL historical past.
“I left some on the market that I ended up operating that I might have thrown,” the second-year sign caller stated after the sport. “I believe I tucked it a few occasions once I shouldn’t have, and I believe I must get to the again aspect of the development extra. However yeah, I believe I’m attempting to watch out with the soccer and problem it down the sphere and never simply be a Checkdown Charlie. So simply attempting to throw it to the fellows that’s open, they usually’re making nice performs.”
Maye delivered a number of spectacular downfield strikes towards the Titans, hitting Stefon Diggs for twenty-four yards, Mack Hollins for 27 yards and Kayshon Boutte for a 39-yard landing. He completed with 222 yards, two landing passes and no interceptions, serving to the Patriots play turnover-free soccer for the fourth consecutive week.
In his 5 video games this season with out an interception, the Patriots are 5-0.
“I believe he’s actually correct from all completely different spots, whether or not it’s within the pocket, off-platform,” head coach Mike Vrabel stated. “He’s actually completed a pleasant job thus far spreading the soccer round, however there’s an accuracy to him that’s been actually good for us.”
After an uneven begin to his second professional season, Maye has emerged as a reputable star behind heart for New England.
The 23-year-old has posted a passer ranking above 100.0 in six straight video games and topped 135.0 in 4 of these. In 5 of his final six video games, he’s averaged a minimum of 9.0 yards per try — a quantity he by no means reached in any of his outings as a promising however inconsistent rookie. Towards the Titans, he completed with a 135.9 passer ranking, averaged 9.7 yards per throw and led the Patriots on three straight landing drives.
Maye already entered Sunday’s recreation ranked second amongst all quarterbacks in completion share behind Detroit’s Jared Goff. He was additionally fourth in passer ranking, fifth in passing yards, third in completion share over anticipated and fourth in anticipated factors added per dropback.
“I believe he’s doing an excellent job of simply getting the optimistic performs, making the fitting play every time,” backup QB Joshua Dobbs stated. “He’s getting the ball to the primary open man in his development, and when it’s not there, he’s doing an excellent job of transferring up within the pocket and retaining the chains transferring ahead. So clearly it exhibits over the past a number of weeks, how environment friendly the offense has been taking part in due to that.
“If we hold doing that, we’ll be a tough crew to beat, for positive.”
And although Maye regretted a few of his scrambling choices, he was productive in that space, as nicely, choosing up a season-high 62 yards and three first downs on eight carries. It was the second-highest speeding whole of Maye’s profession, trailing solely the 95 yards he gained in New England’s wild time beyond regulation loss at Tennessee final November.
“I believe there’s an athleticism to him that’s actually, actually cool,” stated Vrabel, who didn’t take situation with Maye not sliding on one scramble that despatched him into the medical tent for a concussion check after his helmet bounced off the turf. (He returned after three performs, with Dobbs finishing a clutch third-down go to DeMario Douglas within the interim.)
The mix of Vrabel’s arrival and Maye’s ascen has rapidly turned the Patriots — winners of 4 video games in every of the final two seasons — into AFC contenders. However Maye and his teammates each belive New England’s offense has but to succeed in its potential.
“I believe we’ve acquired some extra,” Maye stated. “We’ve acquired some extra left, and I believe that’s what Coach (Josh) McDaniels is difficult us. I believe these offensive coaches are doing an excellent job in these areas, and I nonetheless suppose we’ve acquired extra left.”
Diggs, who caught all seven of his targets for a team-high 69 yards within the win, echoed these feedback whereas attempting to not add extra gasoline to his younger QB’s hype practice.
“He’s taking part in at a excessive degree,” the veteran wideout stated. “He’s being a quarterback. It’s straightforward to say that, however he’s discovering an open man. Guys are making performs for him. Tight ends are taking part in nicely. Working backs catching the ball. Receivers, all people’s simply doing their job. Strive to not give it an excessive amount of (consideration), however extra so (depart) it to the media to type of determine that factor out. However if you see a man in follow put a number of time and method this factor the fitting method, it’s no shock to us. Hopefully, you go 22-for-22, you already know what I’m saying?
“So, attempt to not give it an excessive amount of. Know that we’re getting in the fitting course, however there’s a number of performs we left on the market, too. So we get again within the movie room tomorrow, and that’s the enjoyable half about it.”
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