Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was the only person who could stop quarterback Drake Maye during Sunday’s game against the Jets.
Maye went 19-of-21 for 256 yards and five touchdowns on the team’s first six possessions and New England built a 42-3 lead in the third quarter before Vrabel pulled Maye with an eye on Week 18. Maye’s nearly flawless performance came against one of the worst teams in the league, but it was so good that it will help bolster an MVP case that Vrabel was asked about after the game.
“Oh, well, I certainly, they don’t give me a vote, but I would, there’s nobody else that we want as our quarterback or that I want as our quarterback,” Vrabel said, via a transcript from the Jets. “And so to be able to do that and as the plays go through to progression, somebody asked me this week about progression and different things, I said, “Just throw to the guy that’s open as soon as you work through your progression,” and I think he did that. Some really good designs, but also some great execution.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford remains the betting favorite heading into Monday night’s game against the Falcons and Maye will get one more chance to make his case. The Patriots will kick off against the Dolphins with a chance to be the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and pulling that off thanks to another big day from Maye could swing the Vrabel-less vote in his direction.
