Drake Maye has led the New England Patriots to a 14-3 record and the second overall seed in the AFC. They clinched the AFC East for the first time since 2019, and are hosting the Los Angeles Chargers. The one lingering issue, is are the Patriots legit?
The Patriots finished the season with only one win against teams with a record above .500, with that team being the Buffalo Bills, who split the series 1-1. The Patriots did still have some impressive wins. They beat the Buccaneers, led by Baker Mayfield who at the time was getting MVP conversations. They also took down the Carolina Panthers, who won the NFC South despite the 8-9 record. They also had a double-digit fourth quarter comeback against the Ravens in week 16.
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It has been quite the turnaround in year two for Drake Maye. After firing Jerod Mayo last season following a 4-13 record, the team brought in former Patriot player and Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. Vrabel has transformed this Patriots team on both sides of the ball.
The Patriots rank second in the league with 28.8 points per game and are third in total offense. They also rank third with 58 touchdowns on the season.
For the defense, the Patriots rank fourth allowing 18.8 points per game and are eighth in total defense. The defense also averages slightly more than one takeaway a game at 1.1.
With this high-powered offense, Maye has himself just behind Matthew Stafford in the MVP race. Maye has 4,394 passing yards with 31 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He also has four touchdowns on the ground.
Yet despite the opponents, the Patriots have done their part. It will now come down to if they can face the pressure of the playoffs and remain strong, or else their historic season will go to waste.
