Has Drake Maye Returned to MVP Form?

It took Drake Maye about six quarters to change the conversation in New England.

After a rough opening month that included seven interceptions and two lost fumbles through the first three and a half games, the Patriots quarterback has suddenly looked much more like the player who finished second in MVP voting a year ago.

Sunday’s 45-17 demolition of the Las Vegas Raiders was the clearest sign yet. Maye completed 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns, added another score on the ground and finished with a 150.9 passer rating. New England never trailed.

So the question is no longer whether Maye can recover from his ugly start.

It is whether he has already returned to MVP form.

The Numbers Have Changed Fast

The first three weeks were ugly enough to make the question sound ridiculous.

Maye threw one touchdown and three interceptions in the opener against Seattle, followed that with no touchdown passes and another interception against Pittsburgh, then tossed two more picks in a 35-6 loss to Jacksonville.

At that point, the Patriots were 1-2 and Maye looked nothing like the quarterback who threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and only eight interceptions in 2025.

Then came Buffalo.

Maye threw three touchdowns in a 29-26 win over the Bills, then followed it with four passing touchdowns and a rushing score against Las Vegas.

As NFL.com’s Week 5 takeaways help illustrate, in his last six quarters he has six touchdown passes, zero interceptions and no lost fumbles.

That is not just improvement.

That is a complete reversal.

This Looks More Like the 2025 Version of Maye

What made Maye’s 2025 season so impressive was not simply the box-score production.

It was the control.

He played aggressively without playing recklessly. He created explosive plays without constantly putting the ball in danger. He used his legs as an extension of the offense rather than as an escape hatch.

That is exactly what showed up against Las Vegas.

Maye averaged 11 yards per attempt Sunday. He attacked downfield, spread the ball around and never gave the Raiders a cheap possession. DeMario Douglas caught two touchdowns. Kyle Williams and Hunter Henry each caught one. The offense produced 536 total yards.

Most importantly, Maye looked comfortable.

That is the version of him New England needs.

The MVP Conversation Is Still Premature — But Not Crazy

Here is the important distinction:

Maye is not currently an MVP favorite.

He has eight passing touchdowns and seven interceptions through five games. His 89.0 passer rating still reflects how poor the first three weeks were.

That matters.

But MVP races are not decided in September.

If Maye continues to play like this and the Patriots continue winning, the early-season mistakes will matter less and less. Voters remember stretches. They remember signature wins. They remember quarterbacks who drag teams into contention.

Maye already has one of those performances against Buffalo, and Sunday’s game against Las Vegas gives him another.

The path is there.

New England’s Offense Finally Looks Dangerous Again

This may be the biggest reason to take the recent surge seriously.

For most of September, the Patriots’ offense looked disjointed and dependent on Maye creating something out of structure.

That is changing.

The protection has been better. The receivers are getting separation. The offense is producing explosive plays without asking Maye to force the issue.

Against Las Vegas, New England scored six touchdowns and controlled the game from the second quarter forward.

That is the kind of environment that can support an MVP-caliber quarterback instead of demanding one every week.

The Next Few Weeks Will Tell Us More

One great game does not erase a rough month.

Two strong performances do not automatically put Maye back in the MVP race.

But they do tell us something important:

The version of Drake Maye that nearly won the award last season is still in there.

If this is the new baseline rather than a two-game spike, the entire outlook of the Patriots’ season changes.

New England is 3-2.

Maye is playing his best football of the year.

And after looking lost three weeks ago, the Patriots suddenly look dangerous again.

So has Drake Maye returned to MVP form?

Not completely.

But for the first time this season, the answer feels a lot closer to yes than no.

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