New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots are one of the hottest teams in the league, as they are in the middle of a six-game win streak that has pushed their record to 7-2. A big reason for their success has been thanks to second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
In his first nine games this season, Maye has taken a star turn under center for the Patriots. The former North Carolina Tar Heel is completing 74.1% of his passes (which is tops in the league), while also racking up 2,285 yards and 17 touchdowns in the air.
With New England reemerging as one of the top teams in the NFL, there has been a lot of chatter about the team. Considering how bad the Patriots had been in recent seasons, it’s safe to say that this isn’t necessarily something the players are used to dealing with. Maye, however, has already figured out how to stay grounded amid the Pats’ newfound success.
“(You see) all the praise when you’re successful and all the hatred you get when things go bad,” Maye said on WEEI Afternoons. “Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from. That’s my approach to it.”
While Maye’s play on the field has undoubtedly been a big reason for the team’s success, his ability to stay level-headed throughout the season has been crucial. Mike Vrabel and the new coaching staff wanted Maye to emerge as a leader this season, and his ability to show the rest of his teammates how to handle success has been huge for the locker room.
It also goes without saying that there is still a lot of work to be done this season. After grinding out an ugly 24-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, the Patriots will look to put together a more complete performance in Week 10 when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
