FOXBOROUGH – In his first season as an NFL quarterbacks coach, Ashton Grant is having the time of his life in New England.
A large part of that is due to Drake Maye.
The 23-year-old came to the Patriots with high expectations, and this season, he’s living up to them. Part of what makes Grant’s job enjoyable is how receptive Maye is to learning and improving.
An example happened in Thursday’s Patriots practice when Maye didn’t throw to the right target against the scout team. Grant and the coaches were quick to point out the error. Later in practice, the same play was called, and Maye hit his target for an explosive gain.
“We had a concept that we probably didn’t make the right decision, and the defenders got a hand on it,” Grant said. “So we had the same play a little later on in practice, and then it was a completion for an explosive, so that was pretty nice.”
Maye entered this week as a legitimate MVP candidate. Entering Week 9, the quarterback led the NFL in passer rating (118.7) and completion percentage (75.2). He’s also fifth in passing yards (2,026) and tied for sixth in passing touchdowns (15).
After showing promise last season, Maye is reaching new heights quicker than many expected. It’s also impressive considering he’s working in a new offensive system with a new coordinator (Josh McDaniels) and a new position coach (Grant).
Grant said right after the new staff was hired, Maye spent many days inside Gillette Stadium, starting back in February. The quarterback showed a willingness to learn. He also likes to be challenged by his coaches.
“It’s just about continuing to push him out of his comfort zone. A lot of times, especially as a 23-year-old quarterback, you haven’t seen every single look,” Grant said. “So, we try to expose him to new things as much as we can and try to push the envelope in terms of what we’re doing, making him responsible for the different concepts we try to build throughout the week. I think it’s just keeping him on his toes but continuously guiding him to make the right decisions.”
This season, Maye’s shown the willingness to adjust and take corrections. For the Patriots, the results have been immaculate. Maye enters this week with seven straight games with a 100-plus passer rating. If he does the same on Sunday against Atlanta, he’ll tie the Patriots franchise record, which Tom Brady did twice in 2007 and 2010.
Maye would also join Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Lamar Jackson as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with an eight-game streak.
“It’s been great just because he’s so excited to learn and to continue to improve,” Grant said. “He has the right mindset about attacking each and every day and trying to get better. I think about even (Thursday)’s practice; he made improvements from one practice period to another. He’s just thirsty to learn.”
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