‘Photographic memory’: Josh McDaniels points to a few Drake Maye traits for QB’s Year 2 improvement

Drake Maye receives more praise: Drake Maye’s rise to become an MVP candidate this season might be one of the best single-season improvements by a quarterback in NFL history. But Josh McDaniels and other members of the Patriots’ coaching staff might not be too surprised by how well the second-year quarterback has played in 2025.

Former Patriots cornerback turned NFL on CBS analyst Logan Ryan shared what McDaniels told him recently about what makes Maye a special quarterback.

“He’s like, ‘Logan, photographic memory. This kid, you hear his country accent and he seems like a good ole boy and all that stuff, but this kid knows ball,’” Ryan said on CBS Sports’ “HQ Spotlight.” “They’re blown away by his downfield accuracy. They want to run the ball. They want to run play-action. That’s what everyone wants to do. He’s one of the most historically highly-rated downfield passers. He might be the best downfield thrower in the NFL, with very few interceptions. He’s not heaving and hoping. He’s accurate when he puts the ball downfield.

“He’s able to command so much. That’s the hardest part about playing quarterback. … You have so much of a mental load on top of a physical load. They put so much on his plate. He’s able to play the game Josh McDaniels wants so eloquently.”

Maye has statistically been one of the NFL’s top passers this season. He’s ranked second in the NFL in passing yards (3,412), yards per attempt (8.8), and passer rating (111.9) entering Week 15. He’s also fourth in passing touchdowns (23), while adding 319 rushing yards and two rushing scores.

But, as Ryan pointed out, the most dominant part of Maye’s game has been on deep throws. His 140 passer rating on passes where the ball travels at least 20 yards down the field is the best among all quarterbacks who’ve started more than two games this season, per Pro Football Focus. He’s completed 25 of 45 of such throws for 809 yards, seven touchdowns, and zero interceptions this season. 

McDaniels has continued to harp on how strong Maye’s mental makeup is as the Patriots ride a 10-game win streak into their Week 15 matchup against the Bills.

“Working with a guy that puts everything he has into it, tries to get better at every aspect of playing the position, which is really difficult, puts in time before he comes in,” McDaniels told reporters on Thursday. “He’s ready to go every week, practices with a purpose, and to top it all off, he’s a better person than he is a player, which is hard to be at that age in terms of the things he’s already accomplished.

“A lot to be thankful for and certainly enjoying every opportunity I have to work with him.”

Maye has also appreciated working with the veteran offensive coordinator in their first year together.

“It’s been awesome,” Maye told reporters on Wednesday. “He coaches at a really high level. He understands the game at a really high level. His offense helps the quarterback, helps me do my job. I try to do my best to keep first downs and scoring drives going so I can help him do his job, but he understands the game. He understands defenses, what they try to do. He understands what we have on offense and our players, our personnel, and he uses us to our best ability.

“It’s been awesome this year, and I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for me. We’ve still got a long way to go, but he’s a joy to be around every day.”

Trivia:

The Patriots have a chance to dethrone the Bills as AFC East champs on Sunday. When was the last time New England won the AFC East in the season after Buffalo won the division title?

(Answer at the bottom)

Hint: They went to the Super Bowl that year.

Scores and schedules 

The Bruins extended their NHL-best win streak to four on Thursday, defeating the Jets, 6-3. They’re tied with the Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division, and will close out their three-game road trip when they take on the Wild in Minnesota on Sunday. Puck drop for that game is at 6 p.m.

As the Bruins continued their win streak, the Celtics’ win streak ended at five on Thursday. They fell to the Bucks in Milwaukee, 116-101. The Celtics will have the weekend off before hosting the Pistons on Monday.

Finally, the Patriots host the Bills on Sunday following their bye week. A win in that game will clinch the AFC East for the first time since 2019. Kickoff for that game is at 1 p.m.

Read more from Boston.com:

Bruins release Stadium Series jerseys

The Bruins’ uniforms for their Stadium Series matchup against the Lightning were unveiled on Thursday. They have a yellow base, with “Boston” lettering across the chest, and a patch of the Bruins’ bear logo right below. The “Boston” lettering is actually styled to be similar to the Patriots’ lettering in their logo as they’re playing the game in an NFL stadium.

The game will take place on Feb. 1 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.