Maye is not ashamed; if any young quarterback likes to air it out, it’s the North Carolina product who has developed quite a relationship with Boutte. When Maye fired a game-clinching punt toward the end zone in the fourth quarter of their Division II victory over Houston, the ball was rightfully headed toward Boutte.
But Maye’s stat line suggests there’s some cause for concern as he takes on Denver’s stifling pass defense, which ranks second in completion percentage and yards allowed per attempt (as well as fourth in passing touchdowns allowed and sixth in passer rating). His completion percentage — the highlight of his sparkling sophomore resume — has dropped more than 13 percentage points from the regular season to the playoffs. His completion percentage is even worse this postseason: 38.9 percent on throws of 10-plus yards, according to Next Generation Stats, a stark contrast to his NFL-best 61.8 completion percentage during the regular season.
He’s posted a 4-2 TD-INT ratio and a 93.4 passer rating, painting the picture of a quarterback still avoiding spectacular mistakes, but he’s also accounted for 2.5 turnovers per game in the postseason while being sacked an average of five times per game.
History suggests Maye could be doomed if the trend continues. No quarterback since the 1970s has won each of his first three playoff games with a completion percentage below 60 in all three victories, according to NFL Research. It has happened to elders though, but is not common; Tom Brady was the last to do so en route to the Buccaneers’ victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Asking Maye to call back to avoid a mistake is antithetical to what drove the Patriots to this point. Sure, Maye hasn’t been the flashy forward through two playoff wins, but he’s made big plays in key spots. Holding him in check would only diminish New England’s offensive potential.
“Our quarterback continues to show up, especially in those moments where things can go left or right,” veteran receiver Stefon Diggs said. “He’s making the right reads. He’s making the right throws. He’s rolling with the throws. The ball in the playoffs, it’s not going to be pretty. I’ll take our leader any day.”