With the Patriots on their bye this week, we figured it was a good time to revisit some of QB Drake Maye's top plays, the current frontrunner to win NFL MVP in his second season.

Along with leading the Patriots to an NFL-best 11-2 record, Maye is pacing the league in almost every statistical category. In the traditional stats, Maye leads the NFL in completion percentage (71.5%), passing yards (3,412), and passer rating (111.9). As for the advanced metrics, Maye leads all quarterbacks in total expected points added (+101.1) and completion percentage over expectation (+8.2%).

The Patriots quarterback is also tied for third with 22 big-time throws this season, trailing only Rams QB Matthew Stafford (26) and Seahawks QB Sam Darnold (25). As tracked by Pro Football Focus, big-time throws are those jaw-dropping passes – you know it when you see it. Plus, Maye is making high-level throws without putting the ball in danger, posting the seventh-best turnover-worthy play rate (2.6%) despite averaging 9.2 air yards per attempt (fifth in the NFL).

By the numbers, Maye has been the league's best passer in the first 13 weeks of the season. The combination of big-time throws, few turnover-worthy plays, and league-best efficiency while leading the Patriots on a 10-game winning streak is why Maye is squarely in the MVP conversation. Let's break down his best throws so far this season.

1. Off-Platform Dime to Stefon Diggs for 32 Yards vs. the Bills, Week 5

Completion Probability: 24.3%, Air Distance: 38.0 yards

Given that it was his best throw in the Patriots best win of the season, Maye's ridiculous off-platform dime to Diggs is the unquestioned best throw he has made. With the quarterback dropping back from under center, New England ran its version of the "drift" concept, featuring two downfield routes: an out (Diggs) and a backside dig (Williams). When the Bills bring a blitz from the linebacker level, Maye buys time by leaving the pocket. At the same time, Diggs sees his quarterback rolling to his right and breaks upfield to mirror Maye's movements. Maye then places the ball perfectly on the run (14.5 MPH) to Diggs for a 32-yard gain.

Player's take (Maye): "I probably should have stayed in the pocket. They had some good pockets. They were diving the edges in and keeping the linebackers kind of spying on me. They weren't blitzing as much in the first half, but I figure they're down [on the scoreboard], so they'll try to make something happen. They're going to come after us. Just trying to make something happen, and the guys did a great job staying alive."

2. Seam-Splitter to DeMario Douglas for 37 Yards vs. the Bengals, Week 12

Completion Probability: 32.8%, Air Distance: 41.3 yards

Although there isn't much of a debate about the No. 1 spot, Maye splitting the seams from his own end zone in Cincinnati was a close second. The play call was a "middle-read" concept where the Patriots sent three vertical routes downfield into a Tampa-2 zone. In this coverage, the MIKE linebacker converts to a "pole-runner" who carries the vertical route from the slot. Maye recognizes that he has his speedy slot receiver, DeMario Douglas, running the shoot against Bengals LB Barrett Carter, so he layers the ball around Carter to convert a 3rd-and-11.

Player's take (Douglas): "I had a middle-read [route], you know, saw the middle open up. My guy [Maye] put his trust in me. I'm on the linebacker, so [Maye] knows that's a mismatch right there. Threw it up right there to where I can catch it. The linebacker didn't know where it was. It was good ball placement."

3. Deep Ball to Mack Hollins for 54 Yards vs. the Bucs, Week 10 (Maye's Choice)

Completion Probability: 33.2%, Air Distance: 56.4 yards (furthest of season)

According to the Patriots star quarterback, his 54-yard completion to Hollins is his favorite throw he's made this season, and it's also Maye's furthest throw by air distance. With the Patriots facing a 3rd-and-14, New England runs three vertical routes into a cover-three zone. On the outside, Hollins runs a stutter-and-go vs. Bucs CB Zyon McCollum, running by the Bucs corner down the field. Quarterbacks aren't supposed to out-throw pro corners playing off-coverage techniques, and Maye does that with pressure in his face from a wrapping Yaya Diaby on a stunt scheme up front. There's no way McCollum thought the ball would travel that far.

Bonus! 72-Yard Touchdown to Kyle Williams: Since it was from the same game, we'll give you a two-for-one. Maye's touchdown pass while under pressure to Williams, where he bends the bullet to a backside crosser, was nasty. With the Pats running intersecting crossing routes, Maye sees the post-safety jumping Hollins going in the other direction and throws with the "hallway" pointed at Hollins to the 1-on-1 matchup (throwing hallway: feet, hips, shoulders). The end zone angle shows the level of difficulty of this throw, with Williams hitting a top speed of 21.8 MPH to turn it into a 72-yard TD.

4. Honey-Hole Shot to Kayshon Boutte for 19 Yards vs. the Bills, Week 5

Completion Probability: 47.0%, Air Distance: 35.3 yards

The signature throw on Maye's first game-winning drive of his career. Plus, the honey-hole shot, or the space between the underneath and deep zones along the sideline vs. cover two, has become one of his best throws. With the Patriots needing a field goal to win the game in Buffalo, the Bills fell into their staple cover-two coverage with New England running the "stick" concept into the wide side of the field. As the outside corner falls off the vertical route, Boutte finds the honey hole in the zone coverage, and Maye puts the perfect amount of weight on the ball to layer it into the coverage void, while getting hit in the pocket. Between the high stakes, pressure, and throwing the ball from the far hash into a small window, it's one of Maye's best throws so far in his young career.

Player's take (Maye): "I was just trusting the guys around me. My dad and my brothers always said in basketball that if it's the last play or the last shot, you want the ball in your hands. So, I'm not going to lose that mindset. I'm going to keep that mindset my whole career."

5. Wheel Route to Rhamondre Stevenson for 55 Yards vs. the Dolphins, Week 2

Completion Probability: 52.3%, Air Distance: 33.2 yards

To round out the top five, this completion to Stevenson was one of Maye's first big-time throws of the 2025 season, and a personal favorite of mine. The pocket movement by Maye is just terrific, with his rip-through move becoming his go-to to avoid pressure in the pocket. To his right, former Dolphins pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips creates pressure on Maye with a ghost-rip rush on RT Morgan Moses. Maye shrugs off Phillips and relocates in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. Then, the Patriots are running a four verticals variation downfield where RB Rhamondre Stevenson releases on the "rail" route against a linebacker in match coverage. Stevenson creates separation over the top, and Maye settles his feet back down to hit his running back in-stride for 20.5 air yards plus 34.5 yards after the catch – that's a thing of beauty.

Player's take (Maye): "We throw those kinds of routes all the time in practice. I throw them to him after practice, you know, working on him catching it over the shoulder. I thought I overthrew it at first, and [Stevenson] made a great play. I thought he was about to score on it."

Honorable mentions:

1. Stefon Diggs broken play vs. Bills on GW Drive (12 yards)
2. Stefon Diggs back-shoulder fade vs. Panthers (30 yards)
3. Stefon Diggs deep ball vs. Saints (incomplete)
4. Stefon Diggs go route vs. Titans (18 yards)
5. DeMario Douglas broken play vs. Browns (44 yards)
6. DeMario Douglas touchdown vs. Falcons (17 yards)
7. Kayshon Boutte touchdown vs. Browns (39 yards)
8. Kayshon Boutte's first deep touchdown vs. Saints (25 yards)
9. Hunter Henry wheel route vs. Steelers (18 yards)

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer