Drake Maye led the New England Patriots back to the Super Bowl with a gritty AFC Championship Game victory over the Denver Broncos.
Although Maye tallied just 86 passing yards in snow-filled conditions, the second-year quarterback amassed 65 rushing yards and a touchdown while avoiding any turnovers on the road. The 23-year-old credited his teammates when celebrating the 10-7 win in an on-field interview with CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson.
“What an atmosphere out here,” Maye said. “Battled the elements. Love this team. How about the defense? I love each and every one of them, man. Pats are back, baby.”
New England’s offense mustered only 3.2 yards per play, and its lone touchdown came after a fumble recovery gave the Patriots starting field position inside the red zone. However, the defense delivered another dominant performance, limiting the Broncos to 181 total yards with two key takeaways.
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Maye praised the unit for carrying them again, but he promised the offense would improve when facing the Seattle Seahawks or Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LX.
“Defense has been stepping up all playoffs,” Maye said. “We’re gonna play better. I’m just proud of this team … It took everybody.”
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Maye also commended head coach Mike Vrabel for leading the Patriots to an AFC title in his first year. He’s now setting his sights on the Super Bowl in two weeks.
“From Day 1, he’s been the same guy,” Maye said of Vrabel. “Coaches hard, but at the same time cares about us a lot. We love Coach, love playing for him. We got some more work to do.”
Featured image via Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
