Pats Pulpit
Drake Maye called it the elephant in the room.
Just one week after failing to complete a fourth quarter comeback drive despite two opportunities to do so vs. the Buffalo Bills, Maye was given the same opportunity Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens. This time, Maye delivered in a career performance leading a nine-play, 89-yard touchdown drive to secure a 28-24 road victory — clinching a playoff spot and his first-career fourth quarter comeback.
“It was kind of a wake-up call last week,” Maye said. “This week, it was like, ‘Man, let’s not have that same feeling two weeks in a row.'”
The drive highlighted a dominant fourth quarter for Maye, who additionally led a seven-play, 73-yard touchdown march the drive before to cut the deficit to three points, as he finished the final quarter going 12-of-14 for 139 yards and a score.
He did so while under pressure on nearly 50 percent of his drop backs — a common theme throughout the night as Maye took the most hits in a single-game in his career.
“Just gritty. He got hit. They pressured. He just kept getting up and battling. He didn’t flinch,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “I think it was important for all of us to have that game — the entire team.”
Here are the top plays throughout the night that defined his performance.
(10:52) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass deep right to S.Diggs to BLT 26 for 25 yards (A.Gilman). On just his second drop back of the night, New England dials up a double-posts concept to Maye’s right while Stefon Diggs fills in on the backside crosser working left-to-right. The two vertical routes holds safety Alohi Gilman in his place just long enough to allow Maye to drive a ball to Stefon Diggs for a 25-yard explosive.
(6:37) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short right intended for K.Boutte INTERCEPTED by M.Humphrey at BLT 4. M.Humphrey to BLT 4 for no gain (K.Boutte). To end that drive, Maye deals with immediate pressure off both tackles but handles it well as he rips through the pocket to escape to his right. He fires a ball low and behind Kayshon Boutte — perhaps due to a miscommunication as the receiver originally appeared to have the corner boxed out — which is intercepted near the goal line and takes three points off the board.
(12:47) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass deep middle to M.Hollins to BLT 27 for 20 yards (M.Humphrey). In a 7-0 deficit and facing 3rd-and-13, Maye wins with anticipation for an explosive gain to Mack Hollins. Baltimore eventually falls into a cover-two look against New England’s dagger concept with Diggs on the vertical and Hollins filling in underneath on the dig route. Maye begins to throw before Hollins has cleared the middle of the field defender, Kyle Hamilton, and then leads him a bit high but in stride into space for the chunk gain and a new set of downs.
**(12:06) D.Maye pass deep right to...
