When the lights were brightest and the pressure highest, Drake Maye didn’t flinch-he flourished.
Back in Week 5, under the primetime glare in Buffalo, the rookie quarterback didn’t just go toe-to-toe with reigning MVP Josh Allen-he outdueled him in the second half. Maye turned a 60-minute grind into a coming-out party, delivering a string of highlight-reel plays that powered the Patriots to a gritty 23-20 win.
Since then, he’s been a different player. More poised, more precise, and undeniably more dangerous.
Fast forward to now, and Maye isn’t just riding a hot streak-he’s been the most efficient quarterback in football since October. That’s not a fluke.
It’s the reason the Patriots are preparing to host the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round this Sunday. And while some voices-Cam Newton among them-have been skeptical, those who’ve shared the field with Maye aren’t questioning what they’ve seen.
Just ask Cameron Jordan.
The eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end got a front-row seat to the Maye experience in Week 6, when the Patriots visited New Orleans. Jordan and the Saints defense were fresh off watching Maye torch Buffalo, and they were hoping to cool off the rookie. Instead, they got carved up.
Maye threw for 261 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks, posting a near-flawless 140.1 passer rating. He also led New England in rushing that day.
In a game that was tighter than expected, Maye was the difference-maker. Jordan, speaking on ESPN’s Get Up this week, didn’t hold back in his praise.
“We know what he brings to the table,” Jordan said. “He’s turned into-lights out.
And he has to stay that way if he’s going to have a chance against the Houston Texans defense. In my mind, it’s going to be defense vs. defense, not so much offense vs. offense.”
Jordan’s point is well taken. Houston’s defense just shut down Pittsburgh in dominant fashion, and they’ll be looking to do the same to Maye.
The Texans bring pressure, disguise coverages, and force quarterbacks into mistakes. To beat them, you need more than just a good game plan-you need a quarterback who can make plays when everything breaks down.
In other words, you need Superman.
Ironically, that nickname has long been associated with Cam Newton, who’s been one of Maye’s loudest critics. Newton’s labeled the rookie a “game manager,” putting him closer to Sam Darnold than Josh Allen or Matthew Stafford in terms of upside.
But if you’ve watched Maye over the past three months, that label doesn’t stick. He’s not just managing games-he’s taking them over.
Sure, Allen reminded everyone of his own superhero credentials in Week 15, when he led Buffalo back from a 21-0 hole in Foxboro, ultimately outdueling Maye in a 35-31 win. That was a wake-up call for the Patriots defense and a reminder that even when Maye plays well, he’s still learning how to close out shootouts against elite quarterbacks.
But Jordan’s message is clear: if the Patriots want to survive Houston’s top-ranked defense, they’ll need the version of Maye who showed up in Buffalo and New Orleans. The one who’s calm in the chaos. The one who doesn’t just read the field-he owns it.
That said, last week’s Wild Card win over the Chargers wasn’t exactly a fireworks display. The Patriots won 16-3, and Maye had some uneven moments. The offense did enough, but it wasn’t the kind of performance that will cut it against a Texans team that thrives on turnovers and capitalizes on mistakes.
Still, Patriots fans have reason to believe. Because more often than not this season, Maye has delivered.
Whether it’s standing tall in the pocket, escaping pressure, or dropping a dime on third-and-long, he’s shown he can be the guy. The one who elevates the offense, not just executes it.
Sunday’s matchup isn’t just a test for Maye-it’s a measuring stick. Can he rise to the moment again, this time in the postseason, against one of the league’s stingiest defenses? If the answer is yes, the Patriots could be headed for something special.
His first playoff game didn’t require a cape. But if New England needs him to channel that Week 5 version of himself-if they need a little Clark Kent-to-Superman transformation-Drake Maye’s already proven he’s got it in him.