Drake Maye Cements MVP Candidacy with Historic Efficiency Against Jets

2025-12-29 general

East Rutherford, Monday, 29 December 2025.
Maye became the first player in NFL history to combine a 90% completion rate with five touchdowns in a single game, positioning New England for the top playoff seed.

A Masterclass in Efficiency

On Sunday, December 28, 2025, Drake Maye delivered a performance at MetLife Stadium that redefined statistical efficiency for the quarterback position. In a 42-10 rout of the New York Jets, Maye completed 19 of 21 passing attempts for 256 yards and five touchdowns [1][2]. This outing established him as the first player in NFL history to record at least 250 passing yards and five touchdowns while maintaining a completion percentage of 90% or higher in a single game [6][8]. The sheer dominance of the Patriots’ offense allowed the coaching staff to rest Maye with 5:31 remaining in the third quarter, by which time New England had already built an insurmountable 42-3 lead [7]. Before his departure, Maye achieved a near-perfect passer rating of 157.0, marking the third-best single-game rating in franchise history [8].

Rewriting the Record Books

Maye’s distribution of the football was as notable as his accuracy. He set a new team record by throwing touchdown passes to five different receivers in a single game: Austin Hooper, Rhamondre Stevenson, Stefon Diggs, Hunter Henry, and rookie Efton Chism III [8]. This victory also propelled Maye into elite company regarding season-long accolades. With 4,203 passing yards through 16 games, he joined Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe as the only quarterbacks in Patriots history to surpass the 4,000-yard mark in a single season [6]. Furthermore, his five scores against the Jets brought his season total to 30 touchdowns, making him only the third Patriot—alongside Brady and Babe Parilli—to reach that milestone [8]. These figures have significantly strengthened his case for the NFL MVP award; entering Week 17, Maye held the second-best odds at +185, trailing only Matthew Stafford [7].

Postseason Implications and the No. 1 Seed

Beyond the individual statistics, the victory carried immense weight for the Patriots’ postseason positioning. The win secured a perfect 8-0 road record for the team in the 2025 season and marked their first series sweep of the Jets since 2022 [8]. Currently sitting in first place in the AFC East, New England remains in contention for the conference’s top seed and the lucrative first-round bye that accompanies it [2]. However, the path to the No. 1 seed is not solely in their hands. To clinch it, the Patriots must defeat the Miami Dolphins in the Week 18 finale on January 4 and simultaneously hope for a Denver Broncos loss to the Los Angeles Chargers [6].

Momentum Heading into Week 18

As the regular season nears its conclusion, the Patriots are operating with high efficiency under their second-year quarterback. Maye has completed 71.73 percent of his passes this season, tallying 30 touchdowns against just eight interceptions [7]. With the division title potentially clinched depending on the outcome of the Buffalo Bills’ matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles later in the day on December 28, 2025 [8], New England’s focus now shifts to maintaining this momentum. The 13-3 Patriots have positioned themselves as a formidable force, balancing a historic offensive output with a defense that stifled the Jets for the majority of Sunday’s contest [8].

Sources

NFL New England Patriots