Patriots second-year quarterback Drake Maye is making a name for himself and finds himself in the conversation to win MVP. And he is not just in the conversation; he is leading the charge as DraftKings Sportsbook currently has him with the best odds to win MVP. It seems like every week, there is a new statistic that arises from Maye’s performance.
Why Drake Maye’s MVP Chances Are Increasing
Yesterday, the Patriots extended their winning streak with a 28-23 win in Tampa Bay. The Patriots were slight 2.5-point underdogs, but Maye threw for 270 yards, tossing two touchdowns and leading the way in New England’s victory.
After the former UNC quarterback connected with Mack Hollins for a 54-yard pass in the fourth quarter, Patriots fans at Raymond James Stadium could be heard chanting “MVP” for their quarterback. After the game, Maye addressed the MVP chants in his postgame interview with CBS.
“They may be for Baker (Mayfield),” he said. “Baker played his butt off. Big fan of Baker’s game, and they are a good football team. But you know, we travel well. That is the Patriots. That is us. We are going to travel every week.”
After the Buffalo Bills lost stunningly to the Miami Dolphins and the Patriots defeated the Buccaneers, New England’s chances of winning the AFC East increased by 27.3% and now stand at 77.4%. If the Patriots win the division, this would provide even more reason why Maye should win the award.
On the season, Maye has thrown for 19 touchdown passes against just five interceptions while completing 71.7 percent of his passes. Combined with the fact that the Patriots have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL with opponents holding a average winning percentage of .338, New England is in a strong position.
For the 23 year old quarterback, he will need big performances against the Jets, Bengals, and Giants to cement himself as the leading candidate. The Patriots should be 11-2 by their bye week, and if that holds, the number one seed would be well within reach for New England as well as MVP for Maye.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (+300), Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (+500), and Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (+650) are the three closest players behind Maye in the MVP race.
