Sunday’s Week 4 blowout win over the Panthers (1-3) felt like much more than a bad team having a bad day on the road at Gillette Stadium.
The 42-13 win for New England (2-2) looked like the first true example of what the ceiling of this new iteration of the Josh McDaniels offense could be with young Drake Maye at the helm, as he looked poised under center while leading the Patriots to a balanced attack en route to a lopsided victory.
He did it with his arm (2 passing touchdowns), he did it with his legs (1 rushing touchdown), and he didn’t turn the ball over. That was good for a QBR of 94.6 and a passer rating of 155.6.
With each passing week, it’s looking more and more like New England found “their guy.” And one New England legend is more than convinced that Maye is the man for the long haul.
“He is ‘the guy,’ he's proven himself,” Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Ty Law told The Greg Hill Show on Tuesday. “This is his second year, when quarterbacks tend to either make progress or regress. Because when you're a rookie, you really don't have that much to lose - we're trying to see and trying to figure [things out at] a different level.
“But for Drake Maye to make a step forward - which we've seen some quarterbacks in the past, they took a step back in their second year. I think this is a good sign for New England. Now you gotta get some pieces around him so he can continue that success. But I think we now finally have our successor to Tom Brady.”
That’s a big statement from one of the best players in franchise history, someone who shared a sideline with Brady for five seasons as the Patriots won their first three Super Bowls.
But for Law, Maye isn’t just checking the heir apparent box for New England. He also believes the 23-year-old is already playing some of the best football in the NFL as his individual position.
When asked on Tuesday if he felt Josh Allen, the Patriots’ upcoming Week 5 opponent, was the best quarterback in the league right now, Law made it a point to give Maye his flowers, too.
“I mean, overall, yes - I think he is the best quarterback in NFL,” said Law. “But, you gotta step up as a defense. I mean, he's playing all around good football. We know what type of talent he is, but I also think that Drake Maye - you know, some may disagree, but I think he's playing [like a] top 10 quarterback right now because of what he's working with. You know what I mean?
“And he's young. So I believe in the quarterback that we have, and the team must believe that we have a quarterback. Yeah, he may not be Josh Allen, but we have us a quarterback, too. And if we step up and play as a team, we can take down anybody, especially the Buffalo Bills. You gotta go in there and basically say, ‘I ain't respecting your ass today, it's time to play.’”
Within that answer from Law has been a common refrain from Pats fans in the post-Brady world:
“What he’s working with.”
Sure, Stefon Diggs had himself a nice 100-yard receiving day on Sunday, but he looks far from being the bonafide No. 1 wide receiver he used to be for the Bills (4-0).
Law believes that Maye’s ability to elevate the talent around him shows shades of his former Super Bowl-winning teammate.
“They're winning without [a No. 1 receiver] right now, and we won in the past without having those 1,000 yard receivers,” said Law. “Of course, we had Tom Brady. But again, Drake Maye is showing that he is Tom Brady-esque when it comes to, you know, spreading the ball around and making the right play, so I don't think you necessarily have to have a No. 1 to be successful.”
Despite how bullish Law and others are on Maye through four games, the Patriots are currently listed as 8.5-point underdogs at FanDuel. You can get them at +350 on the moneyline, and the total for Sunday is listed at 50.5.
We’ll see if Maye can live up to Law’s hype during his first career appearance on Sunday Night Football in front of that legendarily insane crowd in Orchard Park, NY.
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.