FOXBORO — Patriots head coach despatched out a reminder Monday that he’s not huge into comparisons when requested on WEEI if he sees any similarities between Drake Maye and Josh Allen.
It’s unfair to check Maye, in his second season, to Allen right now. The Patriots quarterback has solely began 16 video games in his NFL profession. The Payments QB is coming off an NFL MVP marketing campaign.
However Maye stacks up shockingly well while you have a look at the place Allen was at 16 video games into his personal NFL profession. Allen performed in 12 video games throughout his 2018 rookie season and has solely missed one sport since 2019. It took Allen till Yr 3 to grow to be the Allen we all know right now as a perennial Professional Bowl choice.
Let’s have a look at the uncooked numbers first.
Allen by his first season and 1 / 4: 248-of-451, 55%, 2,977 yards, 6.6 yards per try, 13 landing passes, 18 interceptions, 68.4 passer score, 37 sacks, 4 fumbles misplaced, 120 speeding makes an attempt, 762 speeding yards, 11 speeding touchdowns
Maye by his first season and 1 / 4: 316-of-461, 68.5%, 3,264 yards, 7.1 yards per try, 22 landing passes, 12 interceptions, 93.8 passer score, 47 sacks, 7 fumbles misplaced, 78 speeding makes an attempt, 519 speeding yards, 4 speeding touchdowns
Allen was far more uncooked than Maye popping out of school, however these passing numbers aren’t even shut. Maye has a 13.5% benefit in completion share and a 25.4 edge in passer score.
It doesn’t assist Allen’s numbers that he was a turnover machine to start Yr 2, with six interceptions to a few landing passes and two fumbles misplaced.
These are simply uncooked numbers, nonetheless, they usually don’t inform the complete story.
Allen had a damaging EPA per dropback by his first season, plus first 4 begins of 2019. His complete EPA per dropback in that span was -0.09. His EPA per dropback in 2018 was -0.17, and his EPA per dropback by the primary 4 video games of his second season was -0.06.
Maye has a optimistic EPA per dropback in that very same span of his profession. His complete EPA per dropback thus far, although 16 begins, is 0.01. His EPA per dropback as a rookie was -0.07, and his EPA per dropback by 4 video games this season is a considerably improved 0.23.
That doesn’t account for power of opponent, nonetheless. However QBR and DVOA do.
Allen’s QBR was 49.8 in 2018 and 49.4 in his complete second season.
Maye’s QBR as a rookie was 55.2, and his QBR by 4 video games this season is 57.7.
Allen’s DVOA in 2019 was -28.1%. Maye’s DVOA by 4 video games this season is 1.6%.
Maye, by 4 video games, additionally has the sting over Yr 2 Allen in turnover-worthy play fee (4.1% to 4.7%), success fee (57.7% to 48.1%) and completion share over anticipated (8.7 to -10.0).
Maye has a 73.9 PFF grade by 4 begins this season. Allen’s PFF grade in yr two was a 64.1. Allen had only one sport over that 73.9 mark in his first 4 begins of 2019.
Allen took an unprecedented leap ahead in Yr 3, going from a below-average beginning quarterback in almost all passing metrics to ending second in MVP voting.
“I feel he’s finished a a lot better job of caring for the soccer,” Vrabel stated about Allen since 2020. “And actually that’s been the large distinction for me. Simply watching it from afar, a number of years in the past, forcing issues within the pink zone, and that led to some turnovers, some interceptions. And now I feel he simply has a better understanding of caring for the soccer in these conditions. And so they’re nonetheless scoring touchdowns.”
Allen earned a 90.3 PFF grade and 76.6 QBR in 2020. Maye isn’t at that time but, and he may by no means get there. However Maye has proven that he can take a major step ahead already by 4 video games of his second season, and the Patriots’ offense as a complete ought to proceed so as to add items to assist their younger quarterback.
Large receiver Stefon Diggs, who has performed with each gamers, can perceive the comparisons.
“I used to be with a younger Josh. I imply, he wasn’t that younger, after which, clearly, I’m with a younger Drake proper now, however I see the similarities,” Diggs stated. “I strive to not get into participant comparisons in any respect. They’re two completely different younger males. However I see why they are saying that. All of them play with that mindset, that dawg mindset, and I see Drake coming alongside the identical approach. So I see why. I strive to not get into a lot of comparability, two completely different males, two completely different grown-ups.”
One other space the place Maye is at the moment behind Allen on the similar level of their careers is in wins. Allen was 8-7 as a starter by his first season and first 4 video games of Yr 2. Maye is simply 5-11, and two of these wins don’t actually matter. Jacoby Brissett got here again to win for a type of victories, and Maye performed only one collection within the Patriots’ season finale final yr.
“He needs the ball in his fingers to win the sport,” Maye stated of Allen. “With the sport on the road, the ball is in Josh’s hand rather a lot, and he finally ends up making the play. That’s what I’ve discovered. He’s so versatile. I feel that’s what makes it so powerful on defenses is what he can do, prolong performs, play within the pocket. Within the working sport, he has the additional hat, and he’s commanding the offense. He’s been doing that for some time at a really excessive degree, and like I stated, it’s enjoyable to look at, however now we’re taking part in in opposition to him.”
The Payments had a stronger roster on the time, nonetheless. And Maye has confirmed he can play successful soccer this season.
The Patriots play the Payments once more in Week 15. It will likely be fascinating to examine in on Maye’s development once more late within the season.
