Drake Maye’s troubling numbers against teams with winning records 

The New England Patriots began the 2026 season the same way they ended their previous campaign, against the Seattle Seahawks. Unfortunately for New England, the result was also similar.

The Seahawks defeated the Patriots 13-10 on Wednesday night in a Super Bowl LX rematch, overcoming a 10-0 deficit after quarterback Sam Darnold left the game with a hip injury. New England had a chance to tie or potentially win the game late, but Drake Maye’s pass was intercepted in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining.

The interception was Maye’s third of the fourth quarter, turning what had been a promising Patriots performance into a disappointing season-opening loss.

The hype might be real

What Maye did in his sophomore season was incredible. His individual stats were fantastic and the Patriots’ turnaround from a 4-13 season in 2024 was remarkable. The Pats finished the 2025 regular season 14-3, first in the AFC East, and reached the Super Bowl.

Maye threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and just eight interceptions during the regular season. He ranked near the top of the league in passing yards and touchdown passes while leading the NFL in QBR and passer rating at 113.5.

The Patriots had been looking for a replacement for Tom Brady in New England for years, and Maye’s second season gave them plenty of reason to believe they had found their quarterback. Following in Brady’s footsteps, he took the Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl in his second year.

But if Maye is going to eventually reach that level, he will have to find a way to play better against the NFL’s best teams.

The numbers don’t lie

This is going to sound harsh for a quarterback who was one of the best players in the NFL last season, but the cold hard facts suggest that there is still a lot of room for improvement in big-game situations.

The latest evidence came Wednesday night against Seattle. Maye completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown, but he threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter as the Patriots surrendered their 10-0 lead and eventually lost 13-10. The final interception came in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining, ending New England’s last chance to score.

The performance means Maye is now 0-12 in regular-season games against teams with winning records.

That number is particularly striking when placed next to his overall production. Maye has thrown 47 touchdown passes against 21 interceptions during his three-year career, including 31 touchdowns and only eight interceptions in 2025. But against better opponents, the results have been much less encouraging.

Maye’s struggles against strong competition were already visible during last season’s playoff run. The Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, and Denver Broncos to reach Super Bowl LX, but Maye struggled in the postseason overall, completing 58.3% of his passes with four interceptions, seven fumbles, and 21 sacks across four games.

The Super Bowl against Seattle was particularly difficult. Maye threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions, lost a fumble, and was sacked six times as the Seahawks won 29-13. And now, in the rematch that opened the 2026 season, Seattle’s defense picked him off three more times.

Can Maye change the narrative?

None of this erases what Maye accomplished in 2025. He went from leading a Patriots team that had won just four games the previous season to 14 regular-season victories and an AFC championship. He was also one of the finalists for the NFL MVP award, finishing just one first-place vote behind eventual winner Matthew Stafford.

But the 2026 season has started with another reminder of the one area where Maye still has something to prove.

The Patriots will have plenty of opportunities to change that narrative. Their next game comes against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 20, and New England’s schedule will eventually provide plenty of chances to face other contenders.

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