If the New England Patriots were going to break their long losing streak in Miami, Drake Maye was going to have to be better than he was in Week 1's loss to Las Vegas. Boy, was he ever in South Florida, completing 19 of 23 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing TD and 31 yards on the ground in the Patriots' 33-27 win over the Dolphins.
Perhaps the most important statistic? No turnovers. Maye did not throw a single interception, nor did the Patriots give the ball away. That's always a recipe for winning a division game on the road, especially in a stadium where New England hadn't won since 2019, Tom Brady's final season here.
Right from the get-go, Maye was dialed in. He didn't sail any throws. He wasn't skittish in the pocket and may have had his "right now" moment late in the third quarter with the Patriots backed up at their own 12-yard line, facing a second-and-long after a holding penalty.
Maye located Rhamondre Stevenson on a wheel route for a 55-yard gain that set up the quarterback's touchdown run, which quieted the Hard Rock Stadium crowd and set the stage for a wild fourth quarter that saw the Patriots come out on top. Did Maye grow up right before our eyes? His teammates seem to think so.
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Stefon Diggs was one of Maye's biggest cheerleaders after the victory over the Dolphins. Part of why Diggs was brought in as a free agent this offseason was to provide mentorship for younger players such as Maye, and that was on display on Sunday, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.
"[He's] growing up. I feel like he made a jump from last week, just settling in. It's hard being a young quarterback, but I feel like he is doing the best job he can, and obviously four incompletions, that's something to be happy about."
That's a vital sign for this football team. The big thing when the Patriots were backed up on that aforementioned drive? Maye didn't panic and try to get the yards back in one bunch, with a nine-yard pass to Stevenson preceding the running back's big catch and run.
Maye needs to continue to grow and build poise, and while the Patriots have things they need to improve on, their quarterback may have shown flashes of what he can be in a tough environment.