Drake Maye, from a “Justin-Herbert-level” disaster through the first three weeks to lighting up the scoreboard as QB4 in total fantasy points over the next three, is absolutely cooking right now. We saw it coming less than a year ago when he was deep in the MVP discussion, and after Week 6, you just know it’s not a fluke. The guy went out there against the Jets and absolutely SLUNG IT.
Maye Magic: From Disaster to Dominance
Talk about a turnaround! This dude went from looking rough early on to straight-up balling out, and his Week 6 performance against the Jets was a masterclass in clean football. We’re talking 235 passing yards, 24 rushing yards, three passing touchdowns, and ZERO interceptions for a massive 23.8 fantasy points. Think about that: three touchdowns, no picks, no sacks. This was easily one of his cleanest outings all season, and he’s still using his legs to extend drives when he needs to.
But let’s be real, you can’t just judge an offense by one or two wins. You gotta zoom out and see the bigger picture. And when you do, the Patriots are showing us a balanced offense. Their PROE on the season is just above expectation at +0.4 points, which tells you they’re finding that equilibrium. Maye’s rush rate is the 11th highest among all starting quarterbacks, proving he’s not afraid to take off, and that’s a factor no matter who they’re playing.
Finding Their Stride: What This Means for the Offense
Let’s not forget the gauntlet this team ran early on. The schedule was legit tough, man. Week 6 was the first time all season that the Jaguars gave up more than one passing touchdown! Half the teams that faced Pittsburgh came away with less than 200 yards through the air. So, yeah, Maye’s production started ticking up right as that schedule began to ease. Coincidence? Maybe, but it sure makes you feel good about what we’re seeing now.
Now, A.J. Brown’s drops are gonna be the hot topic heading into Thursday Night Football. No doubt about it. But seriously, look at his route tree and how often Maye is still targeting him. That’s gotta give you some confidence that Brown isn’t gonna be chilling on the sideline. Maye’s been cranking up his short-area attempts over the last few weeks, which is a big deal. Plus, he’s attacked the middle of the field on a whopping 46.7% of his attempts in the last three games! That’s huge for letting receivers like Brown create after the catch, and Brown himself took 28.5% of those low-aDOT looks on in-breaking routes. That connection in the short and middle areas is key.
So, with that Thursday Night Football game on the horizon, we’re all gonna be watching how Maye and Brown connect. That identity, a balanced attack with Maye using both his arm and his legs, targeting his guys efficiently in those crucial short and middle zones, could really start to click even more. Get ready for some fireworks!
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.
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