Rival executives, coach rave about Drake Maye after Patriots win over Bills

Ted Nguyen of The Athletic noted that New England Patriots second-year quarterback Drake Maye "had his best game as a pro" en route to a thrilling 23-20 victory at the previously unbeaten Buffalo Bills on "Sunday Night Football." 

For a piece published Tuesday, The Athletic's Jeff Howe spoke with multiple evaluators about Maye's performance.

Executive feels Drake Maye can be "special"

"He looked great — comfortable and poised," one unnamed rival executive said about how Maye played versus the Bills. "He has all the physical tools to be special." 

While Maye accounted for no touchdowns against the Bills, his play in the second half left Patriots fans excited about the franchise's future. Specifically, he connected on 13-of-14 passes for 184 yards over the final two quarters before Andres Borregales kicked a game-winning field goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation. 

"He looked like [an elite QB on Sunday] night," one team executive said about Maye while speaking with Howe. "Consistency will be the key to being an elite guy. He has the traits but needs to play at that level for an extended period and put them in contention to be elite."

Is Josh McDaniels the key to Patriots getting the most out of Drake Maye? 

First-year Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel brought longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels back to the organization with the hope that he would help Maye make a major leap this season. According to Pro Football Reference stats, Maye enters Week 6 of the campaign ranked sixth among qualified quarterbacks with a 107.8 passer rating, second with a 73.9 percent completion percentage and fifth with 1,261 passing yards. He tallied seven passing touchdowns and two scores on the ground while leading New England to three wins over five games. 

"I loved (Maye) as a prospect," one coach told Howe. "He has all the tools and intangibles. (McDaniels) is one of the top coaches in the game. He's doing a great job tying things together."

According to Opta Stats, Maye became the second-youngest starting quarterback in NFL history to win on the road against an opposing starting signal-caller who was the reigning MVP on Sunday night. Maye will look to build upon his outing when 3-2 New England faces the New Orleans Saints (1-4) in Week 6. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, ESPN BET had the Patriots as 3.5-point favorites for that matchup.