Pats Pulpit
Move over Tom Brady, there is a new franchise leader in single game completion percentage in town.
The New England Patriots’ 31-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday saw Drake Maye go 21-for-23 for 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Completing 91.3% of his throws, the second-year quarterback managed to improve upon Brady’s 88.5% mark set during a game against Jacksonville in December 2009.
When asked about the accomplishment after the game, Maye was not in a particularly celebratory mood.
“I left some out there that I ended up running that I could have thrown,” he said. “I think I tucked it a couple of times when I shouldn’t have, and needed to get to the backside of the progression more. But I think I’m trying to be careful with the football and trying to challenge down the field and not just to be a Checkdown Charlie. So, just throwing to the guys that are open and they’re making great plays.”
On Sunday, Maye hit the open guys with great success. Besides throwing touchdowns to Austin Hooper and Kayshon Boutte, he also made some big-time throws to Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas. In total, he hit seven different targets on the day.
For the 2024 first-round draft pick, those players as well as the rest of the supporting cast played a vital role in the record being set.
“Those guys are making plays for me,” Maye said. “Those guys are up front blocking their butts off and in the passing game they make plays for me. I think we’re just trying to stay ahead of the chains and try to throw to the first guy open.”
On the season, Maye has now completed 75.2% of his passes, the second highest mark in the NFL. More importantly, however, he has managed to lead the Patriots to a 5-2 start.
