As the old adage goes, some guys just have "it," and the New England Patriots have found "it" once again. To every other fan base, it might not be fair. But, the Patriots going from Tom Brady to Drake Maye, just a few years later, is going to prove to be a thorn in the side of millions of fans.
In just his second year, Maye has led the Patriots to Super Bowl 60. He did so in a game that was played on the road, in front of a rambunctious crowd and in what wound up being a beautifully-wild snowstorm. But, what cemented this one as the stuff of legends was the decision Maye made on the game-sealing play.
On a third-and-5 with 1:57 left in the fourth quarter, and in a three-point game, Maye carried the ball himself for seven yards and a first down, thus ending the game and sending the Patriots to the Super Bowl. After the game, center Garrett Bradbury talked about that play, in particular, and what Maye told he and the offense just simply takes his aura to a new level:
"After the game, Drake's like, 'I debated telling you guys if I was gonna (keep) it or not. But I just decided not to.'"
Drake Maye's decision on the game-sealing first-down run is reminiscent of the greats
For those who might have missed the play itself, Maye took the snap and turned around toward running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who was supposed to get the ball. The entire shield of blockers, up front, hit their blocks going to the right as the play called for.
And then, Maye kept the football, turned to his left and ran like a bat out of hell.
Some people may not realize it, but this could very well be a career-defining play for Maye. It wasn't a huge performance in terms of yards and points, for either team, but of course defense and the elements played a part.
But, the fact that Maye went off-script in a moment of that magnitude ... and backed it up ... that's monumental stuff, right there.
That's a prime Aaron Rodgers move. That's prime Tom Brady-level decision-making. This is not a decision made by most Year 2 quarterbacks. This is a decision made by a quarterback with the utmost confidence in himself.
If this is what we're getting in Year 2, just imagine what the future holds.
Sorry to say it, Patriots haters ... they're back.