The New England Patriots' 42-13 beatdown of the Carolina Panthers was a nice take for Patriot Nation. Even better, however, was the emergence of the Patriots' 23-year-old quarterback Drake Maye as an elite NFL quarterback. There was little doubt that Maye would emerge as a star in the NFL, but his performances in 2025 thus far have already taken his young career to a new level.
Many factors have to come together to deliver a blowout of these proportions, but it all starts with the quarterback play. Maye was drafted with the third-overall pick of the 2024 draft. It was their only good pick in that draft, but it was a franchise-changer.
The Patriots and Patriot Nation haven't looked back. And the best thing of all is that the fun is just beginning. Maye is only a just-turned-23-year-old player. He hasn't even started a full season's worth of games yet. To say he's just scratching the surface of what he can become is an understatement.
Drake Maye just established himself as an elite NFL quarterback
Drake Maye's performance against the Carolina Panthers was elite. That's not to say his performances in the first three games weren't. Before Carolina, Maye, even with an offensive line that had allowed 12 sacks in those games, he still had a lofty completion percentage of 72.6%.
Most recently, he had a stratospheric 82.6 percent completion against the Steelers in a loss. Yet, against Carolina, he elevated his game to an even loftier level. He completed 82.3 percent of his passes, threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, and ran for another touchdown. ESPN has Maye's passer rating at a lofty 155.6.
A completion percentage of 74 or 75 percent was predicted for Maye this season, assuming the offensive line and wide receivers were improved as thought. It wasn't clear that they had before Carolina, but perhaps even the O-line has now turned the corner. If so, Maye has just scratched the surface of what he and the team may accomplish the rest of the season and in his career.
Patriot Nation - be excited, be very excited
The Patriots have evened their record at 2-2. They lost to both Las Vegas and the Steelers by a seven-point margin. Both were eminently winnable games, and the Patriots could well be tied at the top of the AFC East with the dominant Buffalo Bills. That would have been quite a development, since the team won a mere four games total in 2024. Regardless, the needle for the Maye-led Patriots is pointing way up.
NFL teams are built on the arms of their quarterbacks. If you have a truly exceptional one, you have the opportunity to achieve great things. If you don't, you don't have a chance. The Patriots, to their great good fortune, now have an emerging NFL superstar on their hands in Drake Maye.
Maye notched a very solid 66 percent completion percentage in his rookie 2024 season after being denied any first-team reps for the entire pre-season and almost the first four games. That mismanagement cost him valuable developmental time, the team any chance for a winning record, and the Head Coach his job.
Once a starter, though his offensive line gave him little time to pass, he still earned a Pro Bowl nod. This season, as he emerges as an elite NFL quarterback, he will earn that distinction at a minimum. If that offensive line with four new starters coalesces (they now have a terrific left tackle in rookie Will Campbell), giving Maye time to pass consistently, this season could well end up in a playoff run.
Another encouraging factor is the improving health of top wide receiver Stefon Diggs. After ACL surgery, Diggs is only just getting healthy. As his health improves, and perhaps they introduce Marcus Jones permanently to the offense along with rookie Efton Chism III, the prospects for not only a playoff run but a playoff berth could be in the cards.
Be excited, Patriot Nation. Be very excited. The Patriots are on their way back. And it won't be long before they are.