Pats Pulpit
Drake Maye wrapped up a standout sophomore regular season with yet another highly efficient performance in a win over the Miami Dolphins.
With a Patriots run game continuing their dominant stretch over the last month of the season — where they now rank No. 1 in EPA/rush and rushing average — Maye was only asked to drop back 23 times before being pulled in the third quarter of a 38-10 rout.
Maye played off New England’s run game well completing all six of his play-action attempts for 94 yards (15.7 YPA) while also making Miami pay for their zone coverages with his legs at times. In total, he completed 14-of-18 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown while adding 41 rushing yards and generating +0.50 EPA per drop back (94th percentile).
A second quarter three-and-out that featured three straight incompletions was the quarterback’s lone blemish on the day, but Maye went on to end his regular season on a high note in what should be rewarded with league MVP honors.
Here’s how he got there on Sunday vs. the Dolphins.
(3:26) (Shotgun) D.Maye scrambles right end ran ob at NE 37 for 7 yards (J.Brooks). The first third-down of the game saw the Dolphins defense in two-man (man-to-man coverage, two-high safeties) — a coverage that has given New England’s offense issue at times, specifically in the second-half of the Bills game. However, seven bodies in coverage leaves just four pass rushers up front which opens rushing lanes for Maye.
Despite Diggs being double-teamed and receivers being covered, nobody is left to account for Maye, who makes a play to get by one defender and stiff arm another to scramble for a first-down.
In total, Maye scrambled on 30.4 percent of his dropbacks Sunday, accumulating 41 rushing yards and 29 passing yards on those plays. If defenses continue to play that sort of coverage (something zone-heavy Chargers defense might do Sunday) Maye must continue to make them pay with his legs.
(2:41) (Shotgun) T.Munford reported in as eligible. D.Maye pass deep right to E.Chism pushed ob at MIA 28 for 35 yards (I.Melifonwu). A jumbo look and handoff to TreVeyon Henderson sells a run play as Chism again appears to dig out the safety. But, the rookie wideout releases upfield and is wide open as a patient Henderson then flips it back to Maye. The flea flicker results in a 35-yard gain and the Patriots find the end zone three plays later.
(11:38) T.Munford reported in as eligible. D.Maye pass short right to H.Henry to NE 49 for 29 yards (T.Dodson; I.Melifonwu). New England gets Maye on a boot with Chism running a vertical and Hunter Henry plus Kayshon Boutte filling in from left-to-right. As the downfield options are covered, Maye holds the ball to pull a linebacker out of a throwing lane to Henry underneath who has room to run for 24 yards to kickstart a drive.
**(7:34) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short right to...
