2025 NFL MVP Inventory Watch: Drake Maye Has Patriots Considering Playoffs in Yr 2

[ad_1] Now in his second season, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has elevated his play to the purpose that his crew is profitable due to him, not regardless of him.

Maye had one other productive day on Sunday, finishing 69.2% of his passes for 261 yards, three landing passes and 0 interceptions within the Patriots' 25-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints. The second-year quarterback is third within the league in passer ranking (112.5), third in yards per try (8.5), fifth in passing yards (1,522) and is tied for ninth in passing touchdowns (10).

The North Carolina product’s capability to attach on deep passes has been a separator. Maye is 10 of 13 for 312 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions on passes of 20-plus air yards, in accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats.

And Maye is making it occur on offense with out a lot assist from the working sport. Rhamondre Stevenson leads the Patriots with 157 dashing yards. Maye's dashing whole is not too far behind, together with his 138 dashing yards being the third-most on the crew (he additionally has two dashing scores).

Because of Maye's playmaking capability, the Patriots are 4-2, already profitable as many video games as they did final season and the yr earlier than that (4-13). Now, the Patriots could be the strongest they have been since Tom Brady left. The final time they had been 4-2 or higher was in 2019, which was Brady's final season in New England. The Patriots have additionally received three straight video games for the primary time since 2022.

Drake Maye aired it out on Sunday, with all three of his landing passes coming from exterior the crimson zone. (Picture by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Photographs)

And the schedule units up properly for Maye and the Patriots. The Patriots' subsequent seven opponents (Titans, Browns, Falcons, Buccaneers, Jets, Bengals and Giants) have a mixed 13-27 document, with that stretch going into New England's late bye week in Week 14.

Maye was one of many huge jumpers on this week’s MVP odds, transferring from +3000 to +1800, in accordance with DraftKings Sportsbook. Patrick Mahomes moved into the favourite at +185 together with his spectacular efficiency in a win at residence over the Detroit Lions. In the meantime, reigning MVP Josh Allen dropped to +300 after his crew's second loss in a row, a 24-14 setback on the highway in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons.

Following Mahomes and Allen are Baker Mayfield (+350), Matthew Stafford (+1600) and Jared Goff (+1500).

Let’s take a better have a look at my High 5 heading into Week 7.

1. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Final week: No. 1) Even with playmakers injured and never out there in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Bucky Irving and Emeka Egbuka, Mayfield continues to put up spectacular numbers and make huge performs, preserving him on the prime spot in MVP Watch.

Mayfield completed with 256 passing yards, with two landing passes and no interceptions in an enormous win at residence over the San Francisco 49ers. His sport additionally produced this Houdini-like escape from strain and scramble for a primary down.

Swaggy.

Odds to win MVP: +350

2. Patrick Mahomes QB, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (Final week: No. 4) Mahomes seemed like his previous self, posting 257 passing yards and 4 whole touchdowns in an enormous win at residence in opposition to one of many NFL’s greatest groups within the Detroit Lions. The win improved Kansas Metropolis’s document to 3-3 this yr, with the crew’s greatest receiver, Rashee Rice, now eligible to play after serving a six-game suspension.

The 30-year-old Mahomes has been extra keen to make performs together with his toes this season. His 222 dashing yards are second amongst quarterbacks this yr.

Odds to win MVP: +185

3. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Payments (Final week: No. 3) Allen struggled for a second straight week taking good care of the soccer, ending with two turnovers on the highway Monday evening in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Allen was additionally underneath duress for a lot of the night, getting sacked 4 instances and pressured 15 instances. Falcons head coach Raheem Morris received to Allen by bringing strain. The Falcons blitzed Allen on 55.9% of his dropbacks, the best blitz fee he is confronted since Week 8 of the 2021 season, per Subsequent Gen Stats.

Odds to win MVP: +300

4. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (Final week: No. 2) Stafford completed with 181 passing yards and a landing in a highway win over the Baltimore Ravens, passing Dan Marino (61,361) and transferring into ninth place in NFL historical past in passing yards (61,493).

As soon as once more, cross safety was not a problem for Stafford and the Rams. Stafford was pressured on simply 4 of 29 dropbacks in opposition to the Ravens, his second-lowest strain fee (13.8%) confronted in a sport since 2018, in accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats.

Matthew Stafford was snug within the pocket on Sunday, however he would possibly have to get snug with different receivers quickly with Puka Nacua getting harm. (Picture by Greg Fiume/Getty Photographs)

Nevertheless, with Puka Nacua struggling an ankle harm and his availability in query for Sunday’s sport in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, issues may very well be getting harder for Stafford.

Odds to win MVP: +1600

5. Drake Maye, New England Patriots (Final week: Unranked) Maye completed with a Week 6-best 140.1 passer ranking within the Patriots' win over the Saints. He's the fourth totally different participant in league historical past underneath the age of 24 to put up not less than 200 passing yards and a passer ranking of 100 or increased in 5 straight video games. The one different gamers to try this? Dan Marino, Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes, so he is received some fairly good firm there.

Odds to win MVP: +2500

Honorable point out: Jared Goff, Jonathan Taylor, Jordan Love, Daniel Jones, Dak Prescott

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Comply with him on X at @eric_d_williams.

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