Drake Maye’s entire career trajectory flipped after one insane second half against the Buffalo Bills back in 2025. You remember that game, right? The Bills erased a massive 24-7 deficit in Foxboro to snatch a 35-31 win. What happened after halftime in that contest completely changed who Maye was as a quarterback.
Maye Went From MVP-Level To… Well, You Know
Before that fateful Week 15 matchup with the Bills last season, and including the first half of that game, Maye was on fire. He was completing 71.8% of his passes, averaging 8.87 yards per attempt, racking up 23 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions, and sporting a stellar 111.9 passer rating. The dude was taking only 2.52 sacks per game! In the first half against Buffalo, he was 9-of-11 for 108 yards. He looked untouchable.
Then came the second half. Since that moment, Maye’s numbers have plummeted. We’re talking 64.4% completion, 7.75 yards per attempt, 15 touchdowns, but a staggering 12 interceptions! His passer rating? A dismal 88.1. He’s also getting sacked way more, at 3.89 times per game. His EPA per play, which was a “seismic” +0.286 before that game,better than Josh Allen’s MVP 2024 season at +0.260!,has tanked to a measly +0.068. For real, that figure is in the same ballpark as rookie-year Bo Nix and, get this, 2024 Geno Smith in his final campaign with our Seahawks. The drop-off is undeniable.
Our Seahawks Knew The Drill, And Other Defenses Are Learning
So, what happened in that second half? The Bills defense, man, they went from showing a single-high safety on 42.9% of Maye’s dropbacks in the first half to a two-high look on a shocking 86.7% in the second. Maye just couldn’t handle it. His struggles against two-high safeties continued through the rest of the 2025 regular season and all through the playoffs. His passer rating against those looks was a measly 89.2, compared to 110.9 against single-high.
Maye did face some tough D-lines later in 2025, like the Chargers (No. 5 EPA allowed), Texans (No. 2), Broncos (No. 7), and yes, our own Super Bowl champion Seahawks (No. 1). But even against less-stellar defenses in the final three regular season games,Ravens (No. 19), Jets (No. 31), and Dolphins (No. 23),the performance dip was still there. This season, he’s still seeing those two-high looks, and while he’s averaging a robust 9.48 yards per attempt against them, four of his six interceptions have come against them. Our Seahawks, who are already No. 3 in EPA per play allowed this season (after being No. 1 last year!), definitely have this on tape.
The blueprint is out there. That Buffalo game was a pivotal moment for Maye’s career. Defenses across the league are seeing what happens when you give him a consistent two-high safety look. Our Emerald City defense, with Mike Macdonald at the helm, knows exactly how to apply that pressure. It’ll be on Maye to adapt, because if he can’t, it’s going to be a long season for him. We’ll be watching closely to see how other teams, and especially our Seahawks, capitalize on this information.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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