Coming out of Sunday’s 35-31 loss to the Bills (10-4), the conversation around Drake Maye has shifted ever so slightly.
He’s still sitting at No. 2 in the MVP betting market, but his performance in the second half at Gillette Stadium in Week 15 was almost inarguably the worst half of football he has played since their Week 1 loss against the Raiders.
Make no mistake about it - he’s still among the best players in the NFL this season.
He’s first in the league in completion percentage (70.9), second in yards per completion (8.7), third in QBR (71.2), third in passer rating (109.1), tied for fifth in passing touchdowns (23), fifth in passing yards (3,567), and seventh in completions (290).
With all of that said, the juxtaposition of watching what Josh Allen did to close out the comeback win on Sunday against a Patriots’ offense that stalled out after a 24-7 halftime lead thrust Allen into a nationwide discussion of “should this guy actually win back-to-back MVP Awards?”
Again, Maye is still sitting at No. 2 with +425 odds, but Allen is gaining steam at +600.
“Do you care about the MVP conversation at all?” Chris Price of The Boston Globe asked Maye during his regular post-practice press conference on Wednesday.
“The MVP is obviously one of the big accolades for this league, and it's something that is an honor as a player to earn that award, and I respect all the past MVPs,” said Maye. “But I think at the end of the day, winning the Super Bowl is the biggest thing.
“I think it's what kind of makes this league go, is winning the big one. That's what you work toward, and that's what this game is about. I love winning, and the personal accolades come with all that, but I'd rather win than win personal awards. I hope people in that locker room - I know a lot of them feel the same way.”
At 11-3, Maye and the Patriots can clinch a playoff berth on Sunday Night Football in Week 16 if:
- They beat or tie the Ravens (7-7)
- The Colts (8-6) lose or tie against the 49ers (10-4)
- The Texans (9-5) lose or tie against the Raiders (2-12)
A win on Sunday would go a long way towards helping the Patriots secure, at least, the No. 2 seed in the AFC, with the Broncos sitting ahead of them with a 12-2 record. Denver also has a tough test on Sunday, as they head to Jacksonville to take on a 10-4 Jaguars team currently sitting in the No. 3 seed in the AFC.
If it’s a Super Bowl Maye wants, then getting as many home playoff games as possible in pursuit of that journey is exactly what he should be seeking. Wins against the Ravens, Jets (3-11) and Dolphins (6-8) will go a long way towards putting the Patriots in a good position come January.
Winning also helps in the MVP conversation, too, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.