Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images
Drake Maye took another step towards becoming a franchise quarterback on Sunday night after leading the Patriots to an improbable upset win over the Buffalo Bills. Maye completed 22-of-30 passes for 293 yards and was clutch down the stretch in the win.
It wasn’t easy for Maye. Buffalo’s pass rush stymied the Patriots offense early and got to him routinely. The young quarterback had the deer in headlights look going early but when he got comfortable and just started playing, Maye was able to lead the Patriots to their biggest win in four years.
As usual, Maye was low key when asked how big a win this was for the Patriots.
“Thanks to the Good Lord. Man, that was fun. That was a tough one. That’s a tough one. It took everybody in that locker room, and the guys came out and we battled. We didn’t play the best in the first half. The defense helped us out. We came back offensively and got some things going. Two-minute drive at the end. Just go down and win it. That’s what you want.”
One of the reasons Maye was able to settle in and lead the Patriots to a win was the play of former Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs who had a monster game, catching 10 passes for 146 yards. Whenever Maye needed to convert a third down and make a key play, he looked to Diggs who has emerged into the number one receiver the Patriots were hoping for when they signed him this off-season.
Maye referred to Diggs performance as a storybook ending.
“I mean, it’s storybook. You knew. I thought he should have got in the end zone when he got caught. But coming back here, first game, primetime. You could see it all week. He just loves football. He loves the game, and he’s got a lot in the tank left, so it’s good that he’s a Patriot.”
Despite the connection between the two, the Patriots offense really couldn’t get anything early and as frustrating as that was for Maye and the rest of the team, Maye says that going into halftime up 6-3 was a good sign considering the game was in Buffalo against the reigning MVP, Josh Allen and the Bills.
“The first half was terrible. We had the ball. I missed a third-down throw to Stef on the back shoulder. I missed him underneath. We fumbled and down there when the defense had some turnovers, we didn’t score in the red zone. So, yeah, just tell the guys ‘Keep playing.’ We were up, what was it, 6-3? Is that what it was? Shoot, we were up 6-3 on them. One of the best teams in the league with the MVP, there’s nothing to be sad about. Just go out there and keep playing.”
Maye kept playing however and put the Patriots in position to win the game in the end. He relishes those moments and when he was asked what it was like to come up big in the clutch, Maye says that he trusted his guys and he learned from his dad and brothers to always “take the last shot.”
“I was just trusting the guys around me. Trust those guys. I grew up, my dad, my brother’s always said, in basketball or baseball, if it’s the last play, the last shot, I want the ball in my hands. So I’m not going to lose that mindset. I’m going to keep that mindset my whole career.”
Sunday night’s performance was a big step in Maye’s development. Now he needs to build on it and keep growing.