New England Patriots - NESN.com
A former NFL star appreciates how much Drake Maye is sharing the wealth in the New England Patriots’ offense this season.
Maye found Demario “Pop” Douglas for 100 yards and a touchdown in New England’s Week 9 win over the Atlanta Falcons. That marked the sixth different player to lead the team in receiving this season, a feat unmatched throughout the NFL.
Matt Ryan has loved that element of New England’s offense. The 2016 MVP lauded the passing game’s vast distribution on “The Inner Circle” podcast.
“You’re spreading it around, which is awesome,” Ryan said. “You’re going to where coverage dictates, and I think that’s one of the things Drake Maye is doing such a good job of right now.”
Ryan credited offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for scheming the right opportunities for Maye, who isn’t fixating on any one target. The passing attack’s variety has given opposing defenses fits all season.
“Josh McDaniels is creating favorable matchups. He’s throwing the ball where it should go, and he’s not worried about force-feeding one guy,” Ryan said. “…When you’ve got multiple pieces that you can use, and a defense can’t key in on one particular player, it makes it really difficult to defend.”
The Patriots don’t have an elite receiving corps on paper, but Maye is getting the most out of everyone. Stefon Diggs has emerged as the young quarterback’s safety valve while Douglas and Kayshon Boutte keep making explosive plays downfield. Hunter Henry also has four touchdowns and the most first-down receptions (22) after Diggs (25).
“Drake Maye is making all of these players around him play at their very best level, and that’s why they’re having success,” Ryan declared. “I think it’s a combination of the two. They got a lot of pieces, but he’s also making all of those pieces more valuable and doing a great job of distributing the football.”
