Drake Maye Called His Breakthrough ‘Relieving’, But Seahawks Fans Remember Where His Nightmare Began

Drake Maye finally got a break! After a brutal start to the season, he described his game against the Bills as “relieving” and was beaming with positivity during his postgame press conference. Honestly, it’s gotta be a relief for him, because before Sunday, man, this dude was struggling big time.

Before Buffalo: The QB Who Was Lost After Lumen

Let’s just be real for a second: through the first three games of the 2026 season, you could easily call Drake Maye the worst-performing quarterback in the entire NFL. Or, at the very least, the worst one leading a team with supposed Super Bowl expectations. He was a turnover machine, racking up seven of them, with six picks and one fumble. His passer rating was a pitiful 58.6. He looked completely rudderless, trying to carry an underwhelming Patriots offensive supporting cast on every single possession.

Honestly, some people were even wondering if he’d caught the “yips” after the absolute *manhandling* he got from our Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60. Yeah, that’s right. The Hawks owned him on the biggest stage, and he seemed to carry that baggage right into this season. The dude just looked rattled, totally different from the guy everyone saw back in 2025.

One Game Won’t Fix Everything, But It’s a Start

So, going into that road matchup against the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills, it was a massive chance for Maye to start getting his reputation back. And credit where it’s due: he didn’t waste it. The third-year quarterback actually looked masterful against a Super Bowl contender, completing 22-of-37 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns. And get this: he even threw the game-winner to Efton Chism III in the final two minutes! For once, he didn’t look like a nervous wreck. For once, he looked like the QB he was *before* our Hawks got a hold of him.

Now, one good game isn’t going to erase all the rough stretches he’s had. Maye has a long, long way to go this season, and consistency is the name of the game. But if he can build on that win over a division rival, maybe, just maybe, the Patriots can start to get back on track as the AFC contender they thought they were. It’s a welcome sign for them, but for us 12s, it’s just a reminder of the Super Bowl memory he probably wishes he could forget!

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.