New England Patriots’ Drake Maye Is NFL’s MVP After Big Week 10 Win Over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It’s rarely ever flashy when it comes to the New England Patriots winning games, but this time around it was different as they notched arguably their biggest win of the season.

The Patriots knocked off the Buccaneers, 28-23, on the road in a highly-anticipated matchup of two-loss teams entering Week 10. While New England isn’t exactly known for their big plays, they displayed exactly that in their latest win. The Patriots had three touchdown plays of at least 55 yards, including Drake Maye’s 72-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Williams.

Despite missing two key offensive players in No. 2 receiver Kayshon Boutte and leading rusher Rhamondre Stevenson, Maye was able to lead the Patriots to their eighth win of the season, which is tied for the top record in the NFL (Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts).

Maye threw two touchdowns to go along with 270 passing yards (8.7 yards per pass attempt), proving that he can win a high-scoring game without his best offensive playmakers. He did so against one of the top contenders in the NFC on the road, notching his second big away win of the season. The Patriots previously beat the Buffalo Bills on the road in which Maye played more of game-managing role.

“The ability to weather the storm,” says Stefon Diggs of what impressed him the most about Maye from this win. “We went into a hostile environment against a good team. They’re one of the best teams in the NFC. We went into a hostile environment, things not going well and rallying. We stuck together, things were going up and down. We didn’t waver, didn’t change our mindset, just kept pushing. Just proud of this team.”

This time around, Maye made multiple big-time throws, including a fourth-and-goal touchdown pass to Diggs at the end of the first half and multiple big-time third down conversions. The second-year quarterback also converted on a huge 26-yard completion to DeMario Douglas on that same drive on 3rd-and-7.

The Patriots posted 435 total yards, their best offensive output of the season in their first big game in which all eyes were on them. The defensive unit – which doesn’t feature many stars – pulled off a big stop with the game on the line on a 4th-and-3 from New England’s 27-yard line with the Bucs trailing 21-16 with under two minutes remaining.

“So proud of this team, just every week we’re fighting, said Maye of the win. ”Some things aren’t going our way, we’re handling adversity, battling adversity. Defense is stepping up. What a complete game. “

It’s clear that the confidence level of a team that won just four games last season continues to grow as they emerge as contenders for the first time under this regime.

While the Patriots have a few established veterans and stars – Stefon Diggs and Christian Gonzalez to name a few – they’re not a team with many big names or a squad that will have many Pro Bowlers or All-Pro players by the end of the year.

That’ll work in Maye’s favor considering his lack of supporting cast and the fact that the Patriots will potentially finish as the AFC’s No. 1 seed. It also doesn’t hurt that they have the NFL’s easiest remaining strength of schedule, with just one game against a winning team remaining on their slate.

Prior to Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers, Maye had posted eight straight games with at least a 100.0 passer rating. Although that streak is now broken – he posted an 89.4 passer rating in this win – he can add a win over Baker Mayfield (a fellow MVP candidate) to his candidacy for the MVP award.

He obviously had a tough interception in the end zone that gave the Buccaneers one final chance to win the game. However, New England’s defensive unit closed it out with their sack on Mayfield.

“Obviously, things weren’t going to be perfect,” says Diggs of how the game went down for Maye. “Quarterback is a hard position. For him to rally and stay poised with that quarterback mindset. I told him we got your back right or wrong. We don’t care what you do. Keep making plays. Keep being smart, he’s just a young quarterback. I think he learned a lot from this game as well too. It’s good to learn from the wins.”

Maye entered the game as the NFL MVP favorite and he’ll end Week 10 in the same position. He currently has +250 odds of winning the award, with Matthew Stafford, Jonathan Taylor and Josh Allen behind him.

As nice of a season as Stafford is having with the Los Angeles Rams, they’re an annual playoff contender. He also has a loaded supporting cast in Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams, guys who have either been to the Pro Bowl or have clinched an All-Pro bid.

Outside of Diggs, Maye doesn’t have any established weapons. It also works in his favor that the Patriots haven’t been to the playoffs in four seasons and were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season.

Meanwhile, running backs don’t win MVP awards anymore – just ask Saquon Barkley after his 2,000 yard season – and Allen’s Buffalo Bills are regressing following a surprising upset loss to the lowly Miami Dolphins. Allen also won the MVP award last season, so winning the award for the first time – as it did last season – will not work in his favor.

That leaves Maye as not only the favorite to win the MVP award, but on the path to winning it when considering the Pats’ easy schedule and their trajectory towards potentially clinching the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

The Patriots can finally say their have their franchise quarterback in the post-Tom Brady era.