New England Patriots
Maye has statistically been one of many league’s prime passers this season, serving to the Patriots get out to a 7-2 begin.
Drake Maye’s placing up a season robust sufficient to earn MVP consideration. The truth is, some consider the Patriots quarterback is the MVP frontrunner by way of the primary half of the 2025 NFL season.
After all, that is determined by who you ask. Executives of groups all through the league aren’t as bullish on the thought of Maye being the NFL’s first-half MVP. Maye acquired only one MVP vote from the 42 executives surveyed by Monday Morning Quarterback’s Albert Breer. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford garnered essentially the most votes with 13, whereas six different quarterbacks (Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes, Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones) acquired extra votes than Maye.
In the identical ballot, Maye acquired the third-most votes for Offensive Participant of the 12 months (three). He trails Colts operating again Jonathan Taylor (27.5) and Seahawks large receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (9).
Whereas execs don’t really feel as strongly about Maye’s MVP possibilities, a handful of media members do. Yahoo! Sports’ Nate Tice was among them, believing he’s completed essentially the most of any quarterback to raise his workforce this season.
“I attempt to weigh what quarterbacks are doing in every of their circumstances,” Tice wrote. “Typically the numbers match completely with what I’m seeing after I evaluate NFL video games, however generally they don’t, for any variety of causes. Within the case of Maye and the Patriots, it’s fairly reduce and dry the influence he’s making.”
Because the Patriots out to a stunning 7-2 begin, Maye has statistically been one of many NFL’s finest quarterbacks this season. He’s fifth in passing yards (2,285), tied for fourth in passing touchdowns (17), first in completion share (74.1), third in yards per try (9.0), and second in passer ranking (116.9).
However Tice pointed to superior metrics like dropback success charge and anticipated factors added on dropbacks, the place Maye ranks first, for why he put the Patriots quarterback at No. 1 in his MVP poll.
“Field rating stats additionally paint a positive image of what Maye is doing, and the attention take a look at and movie evaluate of Maye present he’s knocking on the door with the dreaded E-word written throughout it (ELITE). Maye has been merely wonderful this 12 months,” Mays added.
Elsewhere, a pair of ESPN analysts have additionally stated Maye is the MVP. Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky just lately stated he’d have Maye as his MVP, mentioning how he’s been one of many league’s prime passers despite a relatively weaker wide receiver group.
“Drake Maye’s taking part in quarterback nearly nearly as good as anyone, with the least quantity of assist round him in terms of simply expertise,” Orlovsky stated. “That’s not a knock on these guys, simply retaining it actual.”
Will Compton, in the meantime, pointed to the uncommon air Maye’s put himself into this season for why he thinks the Patriots quarterback is the MVP. He talked about the stat of Maye changing into the fourth quarterback in NFL historical past to file 200-plus passing yards and a 100 passer ranking in eight consecutive video games inside a season.
“The opposite quarterbacks who’ve hit this milestone all received the MVP in these seasons: Aaron Rodgers in 2011 and 2020, Tom Brady in 2007, and Peyton Manning in 2004,” Compton said on ESPN’s “Get Up.”
Maye’s additionally gotten some hometown loving for MVP. On prime of Patriots followers chanting MVP for Maye over their two-game homestand, former Patriots large receiver Julian Edelman also endorsed Maye for MVP on “FOX NFL Kickoff” on Sunday. Broad receiver DeMario Douglas emphatically stated his teammate ought to win the award during an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Friday.
“Sure! Sure,” Douglas stated. “Undoubtedly, that’s my QB. It’s my job to assist him get that. I’d be excited if he was a 12 months 2 MVP.”
Nonetheless, not everybody within the media is sort of bought on Maye being the MVP but. ESPN’s Invoice Barnwell didn’t embody the Patriots quarterback in his prime three for the award in his midseason awards column on Thursday.
“The one downsides? Maye has performed a comparatively gentle schedule of opposing defenses, as the typical workforce he has confronted this season ranks nineteenth in QBR in opposition to,” Barnwell wrote, inserting Maye fifth with Mahomes getting the highest spot on his poll. “And like [Eagles quarterback Jalen] Hurts, whereas Maye has thrown solely 4 interceptions, he has additionally taken sacks at an 11.8% clip, the second-worst charge within the league. A few of these sacks is usually a product of an offensive line that’s extra competent than overwhelming up entrance, however a lot of them are on the QB.”
Professional Soccer Focus, in the meantime, picked Darnold as its MVP for the primary half of the season. It additionally has Stafford forward of Maye for the quarterback spot on its All-Professional groups.
By way of the betting odds, Maye holds the third-best odds to win MVP at most sportsbooks. He sits at +400 at DraftKings Sportsbook, solely trailing Allen (+170) and Mahomes (+350).
For these curious, Allen received MVP final 12 months after holding the second-best odds (+300) to Lamar Jackson (+290) on the season’s halfway level. A 12 months prior, Jackson held the third-best odds (+425) on the season’s halfway level earlier than successful MVP in 2023.
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