Jan 4, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs off the field against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Patriots' Drake Maye Gets Positive Outlook vs. Chargers Defense

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Jan 8, 2026 2:00 PM ET

The New England Patriots are preparing for their first playoff showing since 2022, and sophomore quarterback Drake Maye will be making the first playoff appearance of his NFL career this weekend.

The Patriots and their young QB is getting some positive predictions ahead of the Wild Card game vs. the Los Angeles Chargers, given his style of play and the weaknesses the Chargers are facing. ESPN's Bill Barnwell has the Patriots winning it 21-13, and described how Maye's skillset is perfect for this challenge.

"[...] the Chargers are a completely different offense without tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt," Barnwell wrote. "Slater has missed the entire season because of a ruptured patellar tendon. The Chargers have still been third in the NFL in EPA per play with Alt (ankle) on the field, but they have been 26th without him. Missing Hampton for much of that stretch didn't help, but the offense has been disjointed and struggled to find an identity for most of the year."

"Drake Maye's ability to attack downfield is the way to beat this Chargers defense, as C.J. Stroud showed with his first-quarter outburst two weeks ago. Maye led the league in Total QBR on deep passes, and while the Chargers were the fourth-best pass defense by EPA per play against short and intermediate passes, that fell to 16th when teams attacked them with deep balls."

Barnwell's original Super Bowl prediction, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs (oops) and Green Bay Packers playing this year, has gone by the wayside, and he predicts a Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills showdown with more information.

Via the Athletic's Playoff Simulator, the Patriots are looking at a 19% chance of going to the Super Bowl and a 10% chance of winning it all. They are fourth on that list, behind the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Rams.

Maye's Popular MVP Case

Maye is among the favorites to be this year's NFL MVP, given the miraculous run he and the Patriots have gone on this season after managing only four wins last year. Maye finished the regular season with 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns with a 72% completion percentage, and his teammates, coach and obsessed fanbase have been pulling for the 23-year-old.

The Patriots are up against their own demons in the Wild Card game, with an illness making its way through the Patriots locker room at the moment and threatening to keep some key pieces out of the matchup. For now, the illness is holding down offensive linemen Garrett Bradbury, Morgan Moses and Vederian Lowe, and linebacker Anfernee Jennings, who have missed practice with the bug.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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