- Drake Maye has returned to MVP form: After a substandard postseason and first few weeks of 2026, Maye ties for the league lead in PFF passing grade since Week 4.
- The pinpoint deep ball is back: Maye registered a perfect 99.9 passing grade on attempts of 20-plus yards against the Raiders, securing five big-time throws in the process.
- Much better under duress: Maye has committed only one turnover-worthy play when pressured over his last two games compared to five over the first three.
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Through three weeks of the 2026 NFL season, a lingering question permeated: Do the Patriots have a Drake Maye problem?
After all, Maye’s 36.6 PFF passing grade was the lowest among 26 qualified quarterbacks through Week 3. His hiccups came on the heels of a very rough postseason in which he committed nine turnover-worthy plays across 154 dropbacks and never earned better than a 56.7 passing grade in four contests. Those prolonged issues inspired some to genuinely wonder how long New England could give its 24-year-old quarterback a sizable leash.
However, Maye has readily silenced his critics with his play over the last two weeks — with Sunday vs. the Raiders serving as another reminder that he’s yet to abdicate his spot among the NFL’s best passers.
Against Las Vegas, Maye finished with a 93.5 passing grade upon initial review, a number that establishes a new career high. Maye tossed a gaudy five big-time throws — the third-most of a quarterback in any game this season — compared to zero turnover-worthy plays, spurring the Patriots’ 45-17 victory over the Raiders.
Maye’s outing is impressive on its own, even when just looking at the superficial box score: 26-for-34, 374 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. However, advanced analytics highlight just how incredible Maye was given the circumstances, not to mention the ways in which he’s experienced a dramatic turnaround.
For one, the quality of the opponent is always important, and that paints Maye’s play in an even better light. The Raiders entered Gillette Stadium sitting fourth in defensive EPA per play, including fifth against the pass. Klint Kubiak’s team had allowed only an 80.1 passer rating and 18 explosive plays through the first four weeks of the season, each of which were well-above-average metrics.
None of that fazed Maye, who diced up a team that had found ways to mask woes in coverage. The third-year quarterback galvanized 10 explosive plays in Week 5 alone, securing a 150.9 passer rating against what had been an extremely stout unit.
The highlight of Maye’s afternoon was his deep ball. Against the Raiders, Maye went 4-for-6 for 149 yards and two touchdowns on pass attempts of 20 or more yards. Further, all five of his big-time throws came on deep passes, and he secured a perfect 99.9 deep passing grade — joining Jordan Love and Patrick Mahomes as the only quarterbacks to achieve that in 2026.
Likewise, Las Vegas’ top-flight pass rush was able to get home to Maye, but not completely affect him. The MVP runner-up was pressured on 34.2% of Week 5 dropbacks but went 7-for-12 with an 80.9 overall PFF grade in such situations. Crucially, Maye was also sacked on just one of those 13 dropbacks, reinforcing his ability to avoid negative plays.
Maye’s scintillating Week 5 performance marks back-to-back games over an 84.5 overall grade after three straight under a 55.5 to open the season. In effect, Maye has gone from one of the sport’s most beleaguered quarterbacks back to one of its most feared, with his 92.6 passing grade tied for the best over the last two weeks.
The biggest key fueling Maye’s turnaround has been simply reducing the frequency of inopportune plays. Maye’s turnover-worthy play rate has gone from a league-high 8.6% in Weeks 1-3 to a paltry 1.1% ever since. On top of that, his big-time throw rate has skyrocketed from 2.4% to 10.1%. Effectively, Maye has looked like a totally different and more headstrong player, one far more reminiscent of the superstar that was born in 2025.
Drake Maye: Weeks 4-5 ranks among qualified quarterbacks
| Metric | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| PFF Passing Grade | 92.6 | T-1st |
| Big-Time Throw % | 10.1% | 2nd | Turnover-Worthy Play % | 1.1% | 8th |
| Adjusted Completion % | 82.0% | 10th |
| Average Depth of Target | 11.5 | T-3rd |
Another essential factor in this growth has been Maye’s work under pressure. In Weeks 1-3, Maye committed five turnover-worthy plays when under duress, contributing to his 26.7 overall grade — which slotted 34th out of 36 qualifying quarterbacks. On top of that, he was sacked on 19.0% of such dropbacks. However, those pressure numbers have fallen to one turnover-worthy play and a 6.1% pressure-to-sack ratio over the last two weeks, catalyzing his 81.9 overall grade.
Sending five or more rushers at Maye has also gone from a kryptonite to a strength. Over the first three games, Maye notched a 36.8 overall grade with a 33.7 passing grade when blitzed, being tagged for two turnover-worthy plays with zero big-time throws. However, those numbers have augmented to a 90.4 overall grade and an 87.8 passing grade when defensive coordinators send heat, with Maye recording a league-high four big-time throws and one turnover-worthy play over the past two games. Interestingly, Maye’s average time to throw when blitzed has increased from 2.80 to 3.05 seconds, perhaps indicating a greater comfort level to stand in the pocket and attack.
The overarching question with Maye will be consistency given his Jekyll-and-Hyde start to the 2026 campaign. However, even including a consequentially poor stretch, he has now finished with a 75.0-plus overall PFF grade in 11 games dating back to the start of 2025. The only quarterback with more in that span is Matthew Stafford, who edged Maye for MVP honors last season.
Maye’s rollercoaster 2026 season is a reminder of several important concepts: That good players can endure terrible starts to a season, that young quarterbacks deserve a bit of grace and, crucially, that large data points always triumph over small sample sizes.
While New England looked dead in the water amid a 1-2 start and a sleepwalking offense, Maye’s rebound alone has almost single-handedly rejuvenated the unit — and completely changed the outlook of the Patriots’ season. Perhaps the prototypical Super Bowl hangover is already over for a team that suddenly looks as potent on both sides of the ball.
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