Twenty-three passes left Drake Maye’s right hand Sunday afternoon. Just two hit the Nissan Stadium turf.
– Twenty-three passes left Drake Maye’s right hand Sunday afternoon. Just two hit the Nissan Stadium turf.
That’s a rare level of accuracy and efficiency for an NFL quarterback. How rare? Well, it’s something Tom Brady never did during his unparalleled Patriots tenure.
Maye’s 91.3% completion percentage in New England’s 31-13 win over the Tennessee Titans was a new regular-season franchise record, breaking the previous mark of 88.5% set by Brady in a 2009 victory over Jacksonville. It was the eighth-best completion rate in NFL history.
“I left some out there that I ended up running that I could have thrown,” the second-year signal caller said after the game. “I think I tucked it a couple of times when I shouldn’t have, and I think I need to get to the back side of the progression more. But yeah, I think I’m trying to be careful with the football and challenge it down the field and not just be a Checkdown Charlie. So just trying to throw it to the guys that’s open, and they’re making great plays.”
Maye delivered several impressive downfield strikes against the Titans, hitting Stefon Diggs for 24 yards, Mack Hollins for 27 yards and Kayshon Boutte for a 39-yard touchdown. He finished with 222 yards, two touchdown passes and no interceptions, helping the Patriots play turnover-free football for the fourth consecutive week.
In his five games this season without an interception, the Patriots are 5-0.
“I think he’s really accurate from all different spots, whether it’s in the pocket, off-platform,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “He’s really done a nice job so far spreading the football around, but there’s an accuracy to him that’s been really good for us.
