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Patriots’ Drake Maye credits Josh McDaniels for rapid development into elite QB
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- Patriots’ Drake Maye credits Josh McDaniels for rapid development into elite QB
FOXBOROUGH – Following the Patriots ' loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in the regular-season opener, many wondered if Josh McDaniels' offensive system was too complicated for Drake Maye .
In that game, the second-year quarterback didn't look comfortable as the Patriots ' offense scored 13 points.
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It's clear now that the Week 1 storyline was a massive overreaction. Entering this Week 15 matchup, Maye is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and is in the running for the league's MVP award. It's also obvious that McDaniels was the perfect choice for Mike Vrabel's Patriots .
This week, Maye said he couldn't thank the offensive coordinator enough for helping him grow during this season.
"It's been awesome," Maye said of working with McDaniels. "He coaches at a really high level. He understands the game at a really high level. His offense helps the quarterback, helps me do my job. I try to do my best to keep first downs and scoring drives going so I can help him do his job, but he understands the game. He understands defenses, what they try to do. He understands what we have on offense and our players, our personnel, and he uses us to our best ability.
"It's been awesome this year, and I can't thank him enough for what he's done for me. We've still got a long way to go, but he's a joy to be around every day."
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The feeling is mutual.
Under McDaniels' tutelage, Maye has developed at a rapid pace this season. The 23-year-old is the third youngest starting quarterback in the NFL and trails only Matthew Stafford in the NFL MVP odds.
Coming out of the bye week, Maye ranks first in the NFL completion percentage (71.5), second in passing yards (3,412), second in passer rating (111.9), and fourth in passing touchdowns (23).
The No. 3 overall pick showed promise last season but has quickly realized it this year. Not only is his completion percentage the best in the NFL, but Maye is also turning the ball over less. As a rookie, the quarterback threw 10 interceptions in 13 games for a 3.0 interception percentage. This season, Maye has six interceptions in 13 games for a 1.6 interception percentage.
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McDaniels has credited Maye for making weekly improvements. The veteran offensive coordinator said it's been a joy to coach this young quarterback.
"Working with a guy that puts everything he has into it, tries to get better at every aspect of playing the position, which is really difficult, puts in time before he comes in," McDaniels said of Maye. "He's ready to go every week, practices with a purpose, and to top it all off, he's a better person than he is a player, which is hard to be at that age in terms of the things he's already accomplished. A lot to be thankful for and certainly enjoying every opportunity I have to work with him."
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