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ESPN analyst discussed the ‘most impressive’ thing about Drake Maye’s growth in 2025 season
Former NFL quarterback (now ESPN analyst) Dan Orlovsky also compared Maye to a Super Bowl winner.
The analysis of Drake Maye’s growth: One of the central components of the Patriots‘ successful start to the season — New England, now 5-2, has already eclipsed its entire 2024 win total (of four) — has been the development of second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye, 23, has thrown 12 touchdowns against just two interceptions through seven games. He is also second on the team in rushing, testament to his all-around contributions to help keep the Patriots’ offense moving.
Given his (and the team’s) promising start, Maye has received attention from ESPN’s “NFL Live,” which focused on his role in New England’s turnaround in a recent segment.
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“I think he’s become one of the best deep-ball throwers in the entire NFL, week after week after week now,” said ESPN NFL senior writer Mina Kimes on Tuesday.
Kimes pointed out that Maye is second in the NFL in pass completion percentage, and first in QBR (quarterback rating) on throws over 15 yards.
She added that Maye is differentiating himself from other young quarterbacks.
“Often when you have a young quarterback who’s chucking it, they’re just finding one-on-ones and throwing it outside the numbers,” said Kimes. “Tennessee played a ton of zone [coverage] against him — which by the way I think is defenses starting to fear the Patriots’ passing attack actually opened up things on the ground — and all of his bombs were just beating zone.
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“When I watch Drake Maye throw deep, obviously the arm strength stands out,” Kimes continued. “He’s throwing with accuracy, he’s throwing with touch, but he also has a really good understanding of the defenses that he’s throwing at, and where the voids are, where the leverage is. That to me is what’s most impressive about this. This is not just a raw, talented quarterback chucking it downfield.”
In other words, he’s more than just a talented quarterback making plays with sheer ability.
“He knows what he’s seeing, and he knows where to attack,” Kimes concluded.
Fellow ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, himself a former quarterback, compared Maye to a notable AFC name from the past.
“Watching him, it’s like watching young Ben Roethlisberger,” Orlovsky claimed. Specifically, Orlovsky cited Maye’s strength in avoiding tacklers and complete tough passes.
“So often he sheds off that arm tackler, that in-the-pocket shove, and I think you’re realizing when he was coming out of school how important that frame was. And then some of those wild throws, Ben would make throws like that where you’re just like, ‘Good God, how did you make that [throw] into that window, or place it there?'”
Maye and the Patriots will get to return home for the latest matchup this weekend for the first time since a Sept. 28 win over the Panthers. New England will play the Browns at 1 p.m.
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Trivia: Ben Roethlisberger was one of four quarterbacks picked in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Can you name the other three?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: They were picked by the Chargers and Giants (who conducted a high-profile trade of two of the QBs), as well as the Bills.
Scores and schedules:
The Bruins lost to the Panthers 4-3 on Tuesday, with the TD Garden crowd welcoming back former Boston star Brad Marchand in what was an inevitably emotional scene.
Tonight, the Celtics open the 2025-26 season at TD Garden against the 76ers at 7:30 p.m.
And on Sunday, the Patriots will be back home for a matchup against the Browns at 1 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
- Marchand has 2 assists to help Panthers win 4-3 in his emotional return to Boston
- Brad Marchand’s tearful return to TD Garden was fitting end to legendary run with Bruins
- Watch: An emotional Brad Marchand receives video tribute, ovation in return to TD Garden
- What Joe Mazzulla said about rumors of Knicks trying to poach him from Celtics
- ‘That’s the way he plays the game’: Ty Law defended Drake Maye after injury scare
- At 5-2, the Patriots’ progress from their sloppy Week 1 loss has been truly remarkable
- Bill Belichick is among a dozen candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class
- City of Boston declares October 24th ‘Jaylen Brown Day’
- Women’s Pro Baseball League launching in 2026 with Boston team
Celtics season hype video: The team released a special video narrated by Isaiah Thomas.
Sights and sounds: Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane was mic’d up for the recent win over the Titans (his former team).
On this day: In 1961, the Patriots annihilated the Bills 52-21 in a classic AFL matchup. Billy Lott caught three Babe Parilli touchdown passes as Boston built a 45-0 lead to effectively end the game by the third quarter.
Elsewhere, the Bruins were not as productive, falling 9-1 to the Maple Leafs to drop to 0-7-1 on the season.
Daily highlight: Devin Gandy ran back a Louisiana Tech trick play for a kickoff return touchdown on Tuesday night, though Western Kentucky eventually won 28-27 in overtime.
Trivia answer: Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, J.P. Losman
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