Drake Maye Makes His Case For Why He Deserves To Be NFL MVP

A sports bettor with great foresight could have placed a bet on Sept. 2, the first day of the regular season, for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye to win the NFL MVP trophy at +5600 odds. That bettor would have turned $100 into $5,700.

On Monday, that same bet would cash out at +140 as Maye fell just behind Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Maye firmly planted himself in the MVP conversation in Week 10 when he went on the road and threw for 270 yards against Baker Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers to give the Patriots their seventh straight win.

This week, a panel of 50 voters from the Associated Press will cast their ballots. Maye made his final pitch to the cast of “WEEI Afternoons” during his weekly radio spot.

“I think just our team,” Maye said. “14-3, winning the AFC East in a year that a lot of people would have bet on us not to. I think that’s what the league’s about, winning.

“I think from there the ability to spread the ball around — try to get a lot of teammates involved — is what I enjoy to do, and I think we did that this year. Looking forward to hosting a home playoff game.”

This is about as complimentary as we have seen Maye be of his own game, while, of course, giving all the credit to his teammates.

Maye’s argument is grounded in reality. The Patriots are 14-3 division champs compared to the Rams’ 12-5 record, with all five losses coming to conference opponents.

Maye’s leading receiver was a 32-year-old Stefon Diggs coming off a torn ACL, compared to Stafford, who threw primarily to the presumptive Offensive Player of the Year runner-up, Puka Nacua, and added 11 passing touchdowns inside the ten-yard line to Davante Adams alone.

Maye allowed four different receivers to pass the 500-yard mark on the season; Adams and Nacua were the only Rams to do so.

And yes, New England is hosting a home playoff game. The Rams will travel to Carolina.