Drake Maye’s October didn’t just steady the ship for the Patriots - it flipped the conversation around New England’s quarterback completely.
After a rough September in which Maye threw for 485 yards, one touchdown and six interceptions while completing 62.5% of his passes, the season suddenly looked like it might be headed in the wrong direction. But the next four weeks told a very different story. Over that stretch, the third-year passer piled up 1,299 passing yards, 12 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions, all while completing 67.9% of his throws.
That surge has only sharpened the feeling that Maye is finding his stride at the right time. Through Week 4 to 7, according to NFL Spinzone, he ranks first in EPA and second in pass success rate.
Maye said Wednesday the Patriots are trending the right way, even if the road hasn’t been clean.
"I think we're improving. I think we're growing," Maye said Wednesday.
"We're battling some injuries. We're battling some of feeling like we're there one week, then we're dipping back down and then battling penalties.
The biggest thing is we're moving the football. We’ve just got to try to finish off drives, get out of our own way penalty-wise and protect the football."
The high point of that run came in Week 5 against the Raiders. Maye shredded Las Vegas for 371 passing yards, five total touchdowns and a 150.9 passer rating as New England rolled to a 45-17 win over a team that had entered the game with just one loss.
After that performance, Maye didn’t exactly downplay the work still ahead.
"I think we're just starting up the mountain. I think you would like to think that, and we have to go and prove that, but it's a race for us to improve," Maye said after his dominant performance. "Knowing that, you would like to say everybody - especially on offense - you'd like to say that the first three weeks weren't what we wanted to put out there."
The momentum carried through the next two weeks as well. Against the Jets, Maye threw three touchdown passes. Then, even in a loss to the Bears, he posted 321 passing yards and a 117.8 passer rating.
The Patriots’ offensive rise has been even more striking because of who hasn’t been available. In a seven-week span, New England lost its top three receivers - A.J. Brown, Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs - to injured reserve.
That has forced Josh McDaniels to reshape the offense on the fly, leaning on pieces the Patriots didn’t expect to feature so heavily. Efton Chism III, Eli Raridon, DeMario Douglas and Rhamondre Stevenson have all helped carry the passing game while the receiver room has thinned out.
Brown’s status may complicate things again. He missed practice Thursday with a newly designated knee injury. Brown had already been listed on the injury report Wednesday with an ankle issue, and his status for Sunday is still uncertain.
Maye’s next chance to keep the run going comes on November 1, when New England heads to Miami to face the 1-5 Dolphins.
In Other News...
Patriots Fans Are Debating One Huge Vrabel Reunion Long Shot
The Patriots have spent enough time looking for more juice up front that it is no surprise one familiar name has surfaced in the conversation. Jeffery Simmons brings the kind of pass-rush impact New England could use, and the Mike Vrabel link only adds to the intrigue, since the Patriots coach already knows what the defensive tackle can do from their time together in Tennessee.
But this is the sort of reunion idea that lives more in the rumor mill than in the real world. The Titans do not sound interested in moving Simmons after extending him this summer, and any team even trying to pry him loose would have to pay a steep price to get Tennessee to listen. For now, it is a reminder that the Patriots can use help on the defensive line, even if the most obvious target is probably out of reach. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Face A Real Week 8 Test Despite Their Offensive Surge
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Miami brings its own problems for New England to sort through, with a run defense that has held up well and a rushing attack that has kept the Dolphins balanced even with DeVon Achane out. If the Patriots are going to keep climbing, this is the kind of game that forces them to prove they can do more than just move the ball in favorable spots, especially against a division opponent that knows how to turn a tidy script into a tense fourth quarter. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Trade Deadline Priorities Are Starting To Get Interesting
With the NFL trade deadline creeping closer, the Patriots are in the familiar position of trying to improve without a lot of room to maneuver. New England does not have much cap space to work with, but the front office is still looking at ways to add help, and the list of possible targets is broad enough to show where the roster could use a lift. Edge rushers, defensive tackles, linebackers, wide receivers, running backs and offensive linemen are all on the board as the Patriots weigh whether to make a move.
The interesting part is not just that New England is exploring multiple lanes, but that the team appears willing to consider upgrades across both sides of the ball. No official trade has been reported, so this is still a search rather than a deal, but it does suggest the Patriots see a chance to plug holes if the right player becomes available. For a team trying to keep building around its young core, the deadline could end up being less about splash and more about finding the right fit. [Read more 🡒]