Why Drake Maye's AFC Championship Game performance was so surprising

The New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl, and second-year quarterback Drake Maye has been a massive part of their success this season. 

His rapid development into a franchise quarterback has changed everything for the Patriots, and he is a front-runner to win the NFL MVP this season. He will also be the second-youngest quarterback to ever start in a Super Bowl.

All of those accomplishments are impressive.

But for as great as he was in the regular season, his level of play in the playoffs has not been quite as consistent. He has done enough for the Patriots to win their first three playoff games, and he has made some big plays in those games, but his overall numbers and performance have taken a little step backwards. That includes Sunday's game where he completed just 10-of-21 passes for only 86 yards. 

That sort of performance does not generally result in a conference championship win. 

Why Drake Maye's AFC Championship game performance is so surprising

In the history of conference championship games, only 14 quarterbacks had ever thrown at least 10 passes in a game and recorded 86 yards or less on those attempts. Only two of those quarterbacks played for winning teams. 

Tony Eason completed 10-of-12 passes for 71 yards and three touchdowns in the 1985 AFC Championship game that sent the Patriots to the Super Bowl with a win over the Miami Dolphins. 

In 1972, Earl Morrall came on in relief of an injured Bob Griese and completed 7-of-11 passes for only 51 yards in a 21-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. That was Miami's perfect 17-0 season. 

If you bump the pass attempts up to 20 pass attempts, Maye is the only quarterback to throw at least 20 times in a conference championship game and win with 86 yards or less passing. 

Rich Gannon, Daunte Culpepper, Dieter Brock and Don Meredith all had similar passing lines in losing efforts. 

All data via the Pro-Football-Reference StatHead database. 

The weather in Sunday's game certainly played a role in Maye's passing numbers, as did the fact Denver has one of the best defenses in football. But he is still going to need to be better than that in two weeks if the Patriots are going to claim another Super Bowl championship.